


Higher, Faster and Female?

by Vivid_Nemesis



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Awkward situations, F/F, F/M, Fem!Hinata, Fluff, I want to add so much more but then I'd give away the whole plot, Jealousy, M/M, Multi, OC's abound, OOCness may be a side product, Spoilers and Minor Cursing, Tags Are Hard, cis-swap, male!Natsu, volleyball dorks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-28
Updated: 2015-12-02
Packaged: 2018-04-17 15:56:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 27,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4672595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vivid_Nemesis/pseuds/Vivid_Nemesis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hinata Shouyou came to Karasuno in hopes of turning their uninspired girls' volleyball team into champions. Things didn't go as planned. A cruel twist of fate, a dash of drama and a little convincing of a certain wig wearing dean and Hinata found herself on the team. The boys' team that is. Fem!Hinata</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Hinata Shouyou

**Author's Note:**

> This story turned into a monster real quick. I guess I wanted to try making a fem!Hinata with a somewhat logical reason for being on the boy's team because I have a hard time picturing Hinata as a manager, but I also don't want to put her on the team for no reason especially when there is a girl's team for Karasuno so I'm going to take the long way around... if that makes any sense.
> 
> And yes this story is also up on FF.net, under the same title and almost exactly the same username, yes it is Vivid posting cool your jets people. I just really wanted to branch out a little and since I spent a lot of time on this site anyway, I thought why not?

"Urgh I can't help it! I want to find that cocky King of the Court and─!"

"Tanaka he's still in middle school, give it a rest already."

"I can't help it, Suga-san! You can tell from the look in his eyes he's─"

"Tanaka, shut up you're causing a sc─"

"If I ever see him on the court I'll make sure to─! D-Daichi-san I'm sorry!"

If you asked passing bystanders they would tell you that this was just an everyday occurrence. Slightly more observant people would realize that the volleyball club's first year was considerably quieter than what would've been deemed healthy for him. People who actually knew Sawamura Daichi would be able to tell the second year's blank expression promised pain if the loudmouthed first year didn't shut his mouth  _immediately_.

This was where Michimiya Yui's conflict lay, though she knew her friend's anger was most likely due to disappointment from their recent loss and anyone who knew Tanaka would know he acted in a loud and brash manner towards nearly everything, that didn't stop Sawamura from looking any less  _scary_. Not to mention the normally hot-headed first year looked ready to piss himself. On the other hand if she didn't get a move on now she'd most likely miss the next match and lose what could be Karasuno's only saving grace for the next season.

_"Don't be a wimp,"_  she thought to herself. " _It's just Sawamura, nothing to be afraid of."_

"Oi, Sawamura!" she cried running over to the three bickering boys... and nearly died when he looked back at her with an expression that said he would be murdering someone's pet any moment now.

Upon noticing her and her most likely horror movie worthy expression, Sawamura toned his expression down to a sheepish smile, "Michimiya, was there something you needed?"

"Y-yeah," she stuttered slowly trying to calm down, before pulling a set of keys from her pocket. "O-only the freshman are practicing after school today and since they always forget to lock the gym after themselves, could you double-check our gym before you head home?"

"Sure," Sawamura replied immediately taking the keys from her.

"Huh, you're leaving early Michimiya-san?" Sugawara inquired politely eyeing the sports bag she already had slung over her shoulder.

"Y-yup," she replied, fiddling with the strap self-consciously under their questioning gazes. She was usually the last one to lock up after practice and for the past two years had never failed to miss practice, even when she was sick and had threatened to puke all over their rarely seen faculty adviser. "I wanted to check out the middle school tournament, apparently there's an amazing third year and she ju─."

"You're doing some scouting, Yui-senpai?" Tanaka asked loudly, a gleam of excitement entering his eyes. "Is she cute? Do you think she'll be going to Karas─?"

"Tanaka," Sawamura admonished forcefully pulling him back the collar of his jacket. Stuck somewhere between dismay and horror the boy immediately apologized before moving behind Sugawara to sulk in dejected silence.

"Ah, well I'd better be going! See you around Sawamura, Sugawara, Tanaka!" Yui told them with a nervous laugh.

_"The members of the boys' team sure are weird."_

* * *

_"This is bad, this is bad,"_ Yui thought frantically to herself as she pushed her way through the rather large audience that had gathered to watch the current volleyball matches. She heard murmured complaints behind her and quite a few curses, but she couldn't care less because  _she was late._ She had waited so long in front of the gates for her mom to pick her up that she had even contemplated running to the next town over just to watch the match. Thankfully their clunky truck had pulled up in front of her before she had gotten her running shoes out of her bag, though seeing as their truck wasn't exactly made for speed she might have gotten here faster if she had just ran the entire way.

"Sorry, excuse me, hey watch it I'm technically you're senpai!" she cried pushing past a disgruntled looking pair girls wearing jackets with Chidoriyama middle school emblazoned on the back. Several onlookers turned back to look at her with questioning gazes, but immediately glanced back towards the courts as the rows of seats in front of them burst into loud cheers.

Taking advantage of everyone's lapse in attention Yui pushed herself forward, jostling violently with several students before quickly apologizing and pushing forward once more. Panting and sweating she made her way to the front of the crowd and slammed her hands onto the railing terrified that if she didn't the audience would swallow her up again. It's the perfect spot to watch the Yukigaoka vs. Kitagawa Daiichi match, looking right over them and allowing Yui to see all aspects of the match from the Yukigaoka side. The shrill cry of a whistle made her look up towards the court in front of her and she watched intently as Kitagawa Daiichi served the ball, directly across from her their cheering squad burst into raucous applause.

_"It's a good serve,"_ Yui admitted to herself. The girl's form was clean and from the way the ball whistled through the air she knew it has a good amount of power behind it, but Yukiagaoka is far from deterred by the serve. Their libero was on the ball before the crowd could so much as cry out and sent it up with startling control. From there the entire team moved into their respective places with the well-coordinated movements that moved like clockwork, the entire team tensed and ready for the next movement.

"Are they really not considered a powerhouse?" Yui murmured to herself as she watched the tall brunette with a #3 emblazoned on her uniform spike the ball onto their opponent's court.

_"Their movements are somewhat lacking, I'll admit that,"_ she contemplated watching as Yukigaoka's players rotated,  _"but they play like a team that's been through a lot together and I can tell there's plenty of trust between all of them."_

Subtly she glanced towards the score and was even more thankful that she had arrived because it seemed that the second set was already winding down.

"Sixteen to twenty-four," Yui found herself muttering in disbelief. "Yukigaoka's on a role this season."

"I know, right?" a girl next to her exclaimed, startling Yui. Bewildered Yui turned to her with a shriek, before trying to brush it off with an awkward cough, carefully scrutinizing the girl in front of her. She was nearly a head shorter than Yui, with light brown hair pulled into two messy pigtails and the front of her white shirt had "Yukigaoka Beauties" printed in bold, pink letters. She clutched two empty plastic bottles in her hands, but that's not what really caught Yui attention; it was the girl's smile.

It wasn't a smug expression for their teams almost win, no this was more like a full-blown beam. It was undeniably ecstatic, spreading so wide that Yui feared for the girl's cheeks. It didn't look as if she was standing up here cheering on her team, but down on the court already floating on the euphoria of a well-earned victory.

"We already took the first set," she exclaimed, tucking one of the bottles under her arm to flash Yui a peace sign. "This is our revenge game against Kitagawa Daiichi."

At this Yui couldn't help but puff out her cheeks, "Hey you can't say you've won 'til the very last minute, even if it is your match point! Even if it's just one measly point, it can definitely turn into a winning streak!"

"I know that," the girl countered, a slightly annoyed expression taking over her face, "but this year we're really strong! Look over there!"

Following the girl's finger, Yui glanced back to the court to see Yukigaoka's setter toss the ball into the air. The blonde girl's eyes are screwed up in concentration as the ball arched from her fingers tips, but for a moment the ball slipped, and from the girl's form and her look of utter horror Yui could tell that it's was a missed toss. Despite all that the setter still cries out a name.

"Shou-chan!"

Suddenly the entire gym seemed to freeze and all Yui could think was,  _"They're not going to make it, no one is even_ on  _that side of the court."_ It's basically impossible, no one has reflexes that face, it denies the laws of physics.

Yui has never been so amazed to be wrong.

Because Yukigaoka's #2 is flying.

She's nothing more than a blur of pink and white uniform with a shock of orange hair as she rocketed from one side of the court to the other, jumping higher than anyone her height should be able to. What was she 145 cm? 146? It didn't even seem to matter because she clears the net with her wild jump, hand flying to smack the ball down into the opposite court.

And for a moment the entire gym falls silent and watches as the orange haired girl crashes into the dividers with a wild exulted laugh.

And then the practically silent gym explodes with the sheer force of the noise that follows.

Officials rushed over to the fallen girl asking is she's alright while the referee announces the match over with a cross of his arms and the sounding of a shrill whistle. The stands around Yui burst into wild cheers, many of the girls hugging and squealing and Yui cried out once more, surprised as the smiley girl with pigtails hugged her ecstatically.

"We did it,  _Hinata-senpai_ did it," she wailed happily, locking Yui's waist in a death grip and Yui can't help but laugh along with her because even though she's not down there on the court or even part of this team, their happiness is just so  _infectious_  it makes you want to celebrate along with them.

That is before Yui's mind comes screeching to a halt.

"Wait did you just call that ginger  _Hinata-senpai_? As in Hinata Shouyou?" Yui inquired loudly, feeling slightly guilty at breaking the girl's bubble of euphoria, but she needs an answer. Confusedly the girl looks up at her before reluctantly nodding her head in affirmative.

Yui's head snaps back to the court appraising the little wing spiker with much more focus. Short, orange hair, amazing reflexes and even more amazing jumping power, she definitely fits the rumors that have been going around. Yui watched as the other girls slap Hinata on the back practically singing praise for her as the said girl blushed, laughing and holding her teammates together in a group hug.

"Sorry it was nice meeting you, but I've got to go now," Yui excused herself already beginning to push her way back through the crowd, ignoring the girl's cries for her to wait.

Yui Michimiya was on a mission to save Karasuno's volleyball team after all, she didn't have time to waste.

* * *

"Um excuse me but are you with Yukigaoka?" Yui asked politely. The girl in question straightened abandoning the water bottle in her hands to scrutinize Yui cautiously before nodding.

"Would you mind calling Hinata Shouyou, I'd like to spea─" Yui continued gesturing to herself, before the girl abruptly cut her off.

"You're here to try and scout Shouyou-san aren't you?" the girl accused, eyes narrowed dangerously as she crossed her arms. "You aren't the only person who's tried you know, plenty of powerhouses have already asked and Shouyou-san has already turned them down, she already knows which high school she wants to go to."

Yui felt her heart sink at these words, if powerhouse schools had been turned down, what chance did Yui have? The girls' volleyball club at Karasuno was considered a joke; they didn't share the former glory that the boys' team did and had no famous coach to speak of, their members weren't particularly motivated to show up to practice either. In other words, their team was practically a nightmare for any player that aspired to become a professional athlete.

Pfft, as if that'd make Yui Michimiya give up. She was the upcoming captain of Karasuno's girls' volleyball team and even if said club was weak and had few achievements to speak of, she still loved that team and if the rumors were even close to true Hinata could be the girl to turn it around for them. After seeing her play, Yui was even more convinced.

"Please," she tried again, trying to keep her tone casual and polite. "My name's Yui Michimiya, I'm from Karasuno High School's girls' volleyball team. I just want to speak to Hinata-san, I won't harass her or anything, I swear."

"Karasuno, huh," the girl murmured, a bemused smile spreading on her face, "fine I'll let you talk to her. Wait here please, Michimiya-san was it?"

Before Yui could question the girl's sudden change of heart, she had already gathered up the water bottles and had sped around the corner. Confused, but ecstatic Yui opted to take the girl's advice and wait.

_"Geez get it together Yui,"_ she thought to herself, absentmindedly fiddling with the zipper to her jacket,  _"_ you're  _the senpai here not them_."

"You really are from Karasuno!" Yui was abruptly pulled from her inner scolding by a pair of hands waving in her face. The small ginger was standing right in front of her sparkles practically coming to life around her, she had changed out of her uniform shirt and was now wearing a white t-shirt in its place with her varsity jacket slung over one shoulder, hair tied in a messy bun and a grin so wide it practically split her face in half.

"Er, y-yeah, Michimiya Yui," Yui stuttered unsure of what to do as the girl started firing random questions and praise in rapid succession. Spluttering, blushing and unable to get a word in Yui resorted to grabbing the girl firmly by her shoulders in hopes of containing her seemingly boundless energy.

"I-I'm s-so sorry, I didn't m-mean to ramble i-it's just you know─" Hinata's face has turned red with embarrassment her hands fluttered around awkwardly. Yui couldn't hold back her laughter at the sight causing the red hue on Hinata's face to reach her ears.

"No, no it's fine," Yui said gently squeezing the girl's shoulders, "you're just a lot more exuberant than the rumors made you out to be."

"Rumors?"

"You don't know?" Yui asked incredulously. Hinata shook her head, orange locks falling out of her bun to messily frame her face. "You're a pretty big deal in the high school circuit, bets are being made on what school you'll be going to."

She  _did not_  expect Hinata's face to turn that red.

"Wh-what? W-why would they do that? T-that's so embarrassing!"

"Actually I'm here to try and sway your decision towards Karasuno..." Yui said trailing off lightly as she glanced away from Hinata. The girl froze for a moment looking at Yui in bewildered shock before breaking out into fit of giggles.

"I-I'm sorry Michiya-san it's just you didn't have to come all this way," Hinata said in between giggles hands clutching at her side and Yui felt a boulder sink into her stomach. Hinata was going to tell her to buzz of wasn't she? After all the girl earlier said that Hinata had already picked a high school... Wait a second what had Hinata called her?

"Michimiya, my name's Michimiya," she corrected lightly though a frown was slowly making it's way onto her face.

"Ah sorry," Hinata apologized, her laughter abruptly dying down. "It's just you didn't need to come all this way, I already planned on going to Karasuno in the first place─"

"HearmeoutpleaseconsiderKaras─ wait what?" Yui froze for a moment not sure is she was hearing things correctly. Hinata broke into a grin once more as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"I already planned on going to Karasuno," she repeated a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. "I'm a big fan of the Little Giant, he was the reason I got into volleyball in the first place so I had always planned on going to Karasuno anyway."

"R-really?" Yui spluttered thinking it was too good to be true. "Even though our girl's team isn't all that strong?"

"Yeah I don't really mind," Hinata said with a sweet smile, spreading her arms wide. "I want to make a name for myself at the same school as the little giant! I don't really mind how I start!"

_"A slightly flawed sense of thinking,"_ Yui couldn't completely stop the thought from entering her head, but looking at Hinata's exuberant smile she couldn't help but think the girl would do brilliant anyway. From the short time Yui had spent with the girl she saw a spark in Hinata's eyes that she recognized from all the major contenders in tournaments, something determined and slightly disturbing in its focus, something that labelled her as a fighter. Definitely the kind of person Karasuno needed at the moment.

"Oi, Shou-chan!" both girls snapped to attention as a slightly annoyed voice broke through the silence. Yui looked over Hinata's head to see the same blonde setter from earlier jogging towards them, she had a sports bag slung over each shoulder and slightly miffed expression on her face. "The bus heading back to school is leaving soon, we've gotta go prepare for our match tomorrow."

"Coming, Sacchan!" Hinata cried as the girl briskly turned around with a content smile, hiking both bags up her shoulders. Hinata turned to follow before glancing back a Yui with another bright smile. "It was nice meeting you, Michimiya-senpai! I'll see you next year! Hey Sacchan let me carry my own bag!"

Before Yui had a chance to reply Hinata was already running off, trying to pry one of the bags off the other girl's shoulders.

_"Hinata Shouyou, what an interesting girl."_


	2. First Day Chaos Ensues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our volleyball-brained heroine is finally off to high school, though I'm pretty sure her first day could have gone a twinge better.

Early morning birds were chirping, the sun was peaking over the horizon, the smell of breakfast wafted pleasantly through the Hinata household and  _Hinata Shouyou was_ not  _happy._ The short ginger was sitting cross-legged on the floor and pout on her face as she glared petulantly at the bright red stain on her uniform's blazer. It glared back at her mockingly, annoyingly bright against the navy blue fabric. A jelly stain.

A  _jelly_ stain.

A jelly  _stain._

 _"I feel like I already know who did this,"_ she thought moodily, willing the stain to disappear with the power of her faze. If she went to school with such an obvious stain, on the first day of all days they'd think she was a slob. Sure she wasn't the neatest person, but what if this ruined her for the entirety of her high school career? She'd be labelled and then no one would want to talk to her and then─

"Shou-chan if you don't start getting ready you'll be late for your first day," her mother's sweet voice called airily. Despite the kind tone Hinata could feel the demonic aura slowly seeping in from under the door that sent shivers up her spine.

" _Geez Natsu must be throwing another one of his morning fits."_

Muttering under her breath about annoying little brothers she started getting dressed, cringing as she tried to tie her ribbon without strangling herself and awkwardly wondered if she could get away with wearing a pair of shorts under her skirt, but immediately thought against it. Her mother was trying to get her to connect with her "feminine" side and had taken it upon herself to immerse Shouyou in all things girly, in fact the reason her mother had so easily approved of her going to Karasuno in the first place was because she had deemed the uniform "cute".

To make matters worse her father had suddenly gotten it into his head that every person of the opposite sex that was not immediate family was trying to make a pass at his only daughter, which had caused some rather awkward situations throughout Shouyou's final year of junior high. Which was utterly ridiculous to her since it was obvious most males didn't see her as a member of the opposite sex anyway. After all she way Hinata Shouyou, the vice-captain of the Yukigaoka's volleyball team; the girl who bound her chest every day because it was a hassle to play volleyball having to worry about her  _womanly assets_  constantly during practice and gelled her hair into unruly boyish spikes because she thought it looked cool.

She was the girl who challenged boys to fights even if they were twice her size and wore track pants under her skirt because she felt like riding her bike without them was a tad too risky, things that overtime people had gotten used to and gradually stopped boys from looking at her as a girl. Now it wasn't as if Hinata didn't like looking cute every now and then it's just that it seemed like such a hassle, especially since she was a girl whose school life mainly revolved around sport. Hinata just didn't have the time or patience for all the girly details.

"Onee-chan, your breakfast is getting cold," Natsu said sullenly as he stuck his head into the room, he was still in his pajamas and his orange hair was still mussed up from sleep. Hinata sighed and carelessly tousled the longer stands of her hair with gel to match her brother's orange locks, this was the easier and cooler looking way of keeping her hair off her neck, sure she still needed to tie it up for matches and practice, but for her everyday hairstyle this was her awesome looking alternative. Pulling the stained blazer from its hanger before carefully draping it over her arm along with her bag she followed Natsu's example and exited the room making sure to turn off the lights and shut the door quietly.

"Thank you for the food," she murmured as she sat down, awkwardly draping her blazer over the back of her chair and dropping her bag on the floor. Her mother had gone all out for her first day with Shouyou's favorite Japanese style breakfast, the woman herself suddenly walked into the dining room, still wearing her apron and her hair tied up with a handkerchief to keep it out of her face.

"Ah, Mama," standing up abruptly Shouyou showed her mother the stain on the front of her blazer, pushing it close to her mother's face in hopes she would understand the magnitude to the situation, "Natsu must have gotten some jelly on it at some point, do you have any magical mom techniques to get rid of it?"

"I did not!" Natsu squawked indignantly, bread crumbs flying out of his mouth.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier?" her mother asked taking the blazer from her, wearily eyeing the stain that had caused Shouyou so much grief earlier that morning. "Finish your breakfast I'll go try and get this stain out."

"Yes, ma'am," Shouyou said, mock saluting before sitting back down to devour her breakfast. She ate slowly and calmly, trying to emphasize how  _not_ nervous she was for her first day of high school, accidentally dropping her bowl of miso soup, knocking over her glass of milk and nearly jabbing her chopstick up her nose in the process.

Completely calm and collected.

"Alright Shou-chan, I've mostly gotten rid of the stain. Just give me this blazers immediately after you get home so I can wash it," the Hinata matriarch reentered the room with the mostly clean blazer draped over her arm, only to see the carnage of Shouyou's breakfast. Hands fluttering worriedly she dropped the blazer into the nearest chair and began helping her daughter clean up the mess.

"Oh for goodness sake, Shou-chan you go on ahead, I'll clean this up," her mother said, glancing at the clock on the wall worriedly. "You've still got a thirty minute bike ride, you're sure you don't want me to drive, sweetheart? Gah I thought I told you to stop using so much gel─"

"Well I'll be going now Mama," Shouyou said loudly cutting off her mother before her rant could begin, leaning up to plant a kiss on her cheek before she also dropped one on her brother's forehead, ruffling his hair in the process. Natsu scrubbed at his cheek halfheartedly, complaining about cooties and not to make his bedhead worse. Grabbing her bag and blazer she turned back to them one more time. "I love you both, see you after school!"

"Your lunch is next to your shoes, don't forget to bring it!"

"I won't!"

_"This is it! I'm finally going to Karasuno!"_

* * *

"Alright class, feel free to look around just remember to get your things before you leave the school grounds. Dismissed."

The sound of chairs scraping against the floor suddenly filled the air making Hinata's head shoot up from its position in her arms. All around her students were getting up and exiting the classroom, many taking their lunch with them, confused she watched as a girl pulled a flier from her bag showing it to her friend, both of them squealing excitedly as the left the room.

"Huh, what's going on?" Hinata asked herself out loud, rubbing her eyes in hopes that it would help her understand the situation better.

"Oh so I was right you  _did_  doze off," an impassive voice murmured behind her. Hinata swiveled around a furious blush painting her cheeks as she turned to glare at the owner of the decidedly feminine voice.

"W-what wanna figh─?" she demanded or rather stuttered loudly voice trailing off as she stared up at the girl.

She was  _tall_.

Taller than Michimiya-senpa, taller than that one girl from Kitagawa Daiichi, heck she was probably taller than Sacchan who had been the tallest girl on Yukigaoka's volleyball team. She stared back Hinata's glare with electric blue eyes, so vivid in color yet utterly devoid of emotion, calm and analyzing. The girl straightened, tossing long brown hair over her shoulder with one casual fluid motion, the longest locks brushing her waist.

"You don't have to look at me like that you know," she said softly, her expression staying perfectly neutral the entire time. "I don't bite."

"T-then what are you still doing here, t-to m-make fun of me?" Hinata demanded standing up from her seat though it really didn't close the gap in height between the two of them. The girl stared down at her coolly though for a moment she averted her eyes and slight pink tinge appeared on her cheeks.

"If you must know I was going to fill you in on what the teacher said since you dozed off so obviously."

Awkward silence followed.

"U-uh well so what did she say?" Hinata asked somewhat sheepishly unsure of what to do with her hands at the moment. The girl stared back, her emotionless mask once again in place before she rolled her eyes pointing lazily towards one of the classroom's doors.

"Apparently for the first day of school the clubs are advertising and recruiting," pulling a flier out of her bag the girl handed it to Hinata, there were basketballs emblazoned all over the page with a catchy logo taking up most of the space with a gym and contact number at the bottom. "For the rest of the day first years are allowed to go around and check out all the clubs or we can head home."

"Ah! That means Michimiya-senpai is probably expecting me to show up!" Hinata cried loudly shoving the flier back into the girl's hands before frantically sweeping all of her things into her bag and grabbing her lunch, but a thought struck her. "Hey, you! How tall are you exactly?"

"176 cm," the girl replied easily, already sliding the door open her expression not changing at all. Hinata felt her mouth fall open. 176!? The girl was nearly an entire 30 cm taller than her! With that kind of height she could probably block and spike with ease or wait maybe she'd be a better setter? She did seem pretty observant and she'd probably be able to keep her head cool in a match... Unaware of Hinata's internal rant the girl had already turned to leave.

"O-oi! Wait!" Hinata cried scrambling to follow the girl since she had already exited the classroom. Surprisingly enough Hinata caught up rather quickly despite the girl's long strides and was able to effectively plant herself in front of her. "What's your name?"

"Hah?" the girl scoffed looking down on Hinata, her expression didn't change but there was an obvious hitch of annoyance in her voice. Hinata met her stare head on, stomping her food to prove that she wasn't moving til she got an answer. "Why do you want to know?"

The girl took a step back before sidestepping Hinata quickly, nearly making it past her before Hinata moved in front of her abruptly. The girl's eyes widened drastically as Hinata's hand shot out to grab her wrist, Hinata's eyes were wide and serious silently, commanding. "Your name."

"Inoue Kazuha," the girl said tersely, gingerly pulling her arms out of Hinata's grip. Dropping both arms to her sides Hinata laughed sheepishly getting ready to apologize… Until she realized the other girl was already making her way down the hallway.

"Oi, oi wait!" Hinata called after her loudly, causing several other students in the hallway to glance at her abruptly. "Don't you want to know my name too?"

"Hinata Shouyou, right?" Inoue responded smoothly before turning around and stalking back to Hinata, grabbing her wrist tightly and pulling her into the classroom they had just exited.

"Wha─? How did you know!? And why did you drag us back in here?" Hinata spluttered suddenly unsure of this entire situation. Inoue sighed, dropping her lunch on the nearest desk and sat down, taking up what Hinata liked to call "annoyed expectant expression B", except Inoue's wasn't very different from what seemed to be her standard mask of indifference, the only thing giving away her emotions was the slight twitching of her eyebrows and the way she leaned her head on her hands.

"One I know your name because I actually  _listened_ during introductions," Hinata felt her face flush red at the statement and opened her mouth to retaliate, but Inoue held up a hand to silence her before she could properly defend herself. "Two it's obvious you have something to ask me, so why don't we just get it over with?"

 _"So blunt!"_ Hinata took a nervous step back trying to calm her nerves.  _"This is no big deal! Inoue is just a_ lot  _taller than me and even though that's slightly intimidating it's not scary. Plus she's sitting down so I'm slightly taller_ ─  _wait no we're the same height right now. Crap I'm not good with dealing taller girls that don't seem friendly, wait isn't it rude that I'm thinking she's not friendly just from this one encounter? Gah how long have I been thinking? I should just spit it out right? Right?"_

"Listen Hinata-san you don't need to force yoursel─"

"I'm Hinata Shouyou, nice to meet you! I couldn't help but notice that you're very tall so I'd like to invite you to join Karasuno's volleyball team!" Hinata blurted out.

Cue awkward silence.

"Why are you being so formal?" Inoue deadpanned, Hinata felt her face go red in response.

"W-well I was kinda rude earlier so I thought y-you'd appreciate it if I was politer," Hinata responded her face still flushed.

"You don't need to do that," Inoue responded with a sigh, rubbing her temples with one of her hands wearily, yet her expression didn't change at all. The taller girl stood up retrieving her lunch and holding a hand out for Hinata to shake which the shorter girl did eagerly. Was it really that easy to recruit someone or maybe Inoue had been planning on joining all along?

Of course it wasn't that simple.

"I appreciate the formal introduction and offer, but I already agreed to manage for the basketball club," Hinata felt her face fall and her hand slacken, but Inoue didn't seem to mind, her expression didn't even so much as twitch. As the girl turned to leave Hinata wanted to believe that her eyes softened a little as she glanced back. "Thank you though."

_"Well this sucks."_

* * *

"How hard can it be to find one gym?" Hinata asked herself frantically, hands pulling at her orange locks. She had been looking for a good thirty minutes now and all she had gotten from one of the passing upperclassmen was an unhelpful "gym five" before the older girl had abruptly turned away from her to yell at a passing student. For a school that wasn't technically labelled a powerhouse for any sports they sure had a lot of gyms, not to mention plenty of outdoor courts too.

 _"Man, I'm glad I'm wearing pants it would've been awkward if I had to run around in a skirt,"_ Hinata thought appreciatively. After the awkward encounter with Inoue she had opted to change into her P.E. uniform which she had fortunately brought with her, it wasn't much just a maroon tracksuit with the school's name on the front, but Hinata was grateful that it was similar to the boy's one because she didn't think she would be able to stomach it if she had to deal with a P.E. uniform with bloomers during high school too.

"Eh, you think just because you're the King of The Court you can look down on peasants like us?"

"Don't think just because you're all gangly like that you can compete with me."

"T-Tsukki maybe it's best if we don't pick fights on our first day."

"Shut up, Yamaguchi. Even if it's a pain I refuse to be openly insulted by this bumbling elite."

"Well let's see if you can compete with this  _bumbling elite's_  serve."

"Serving, that must be the volleyball club!" Hinata muttered under her breath glancing pensively at the gym where the voice were coming from. The voices sounded male though she was almost certain that wasn't the club she was looking for... Oh well even if they weren't they'd be able to at least  _show_ her where gym five was, right? It couldn't be that bad especially if she was right and they were a volleyball club, maybe she'd even be able to get some good tips and pointers.

Rushing forward with renewed vigor she marched up to the doors ready to call out in greeting before she froze in her tracks. Two boys were standing on opposite sides of the net, their figures practically oozing malice. The blond boy standing closer to the door she was gawking from was crouched in a standard receiving position though even from that Hinata knew he was extremely tall, bored honey colored eyes behind a pair of black rimmed glasses, he was shooting off casual insults to the other boy, his aloof expression never slipping. The other boy was probably a little shorter though what he lacked in height he certainly made up for in intimidation, his murky blue eyes were cold with concentration, going nicely with his black hair, Hinata noted bashfully, though what really caught her attention was the volleyball in his hands as he spun it around expertly.

"Here goes," the dark haired boy said tossing the ball high into the air. Hinata watched gaping as he jumped to meet it, slamming his hand onto it so hard Hinata was sure that if this was animated the art style would've changed. The ball hurtled through the air at an alarming speed that made Hinata grateful that she wasn't the receiving end of it.

 _"I haven't seen a serve the strong since the Spring Tournament,"_ Hinata thought herself, slightly dazed. Sure she had seen plenty of jump serves in tournaments and there was even a girl on her volleyball team that had served similarly, but she had never seen a jump serve with so much power behind. It was on a whole different level from the complicated curving serves that mainly dominated the women's volleyball league, this one was just pure, raw power. The blond boy moved casually to receive it though Hinata noticed his stance become a little more serious and watched the ball hit his arms soundly.

Ricochet and smack the tall blond in the face.

Eyes going wide Hinata could only stare as his glasses flew off, contemplating in the back of her mind if she should catch them, but was too stunned by what followed to even move. The ball which had been momentarily forgotten flew towards the only adult in the room, stopping him mid-sentence.  _"That's the dean from the entrance ceremony,"_ her mind supplied helpfully,  _"the one wearing a wi_ ─?"before Hinata could finish the thought the ball suddenly slammed into the dean's face knocking his wig clean off and sending it flying into the air, conveniently landing of the nearest brunette's head.

Could you really blame Hinata for bursting out into a fit of giggles?

Heads snapped towards her, but she just couldn't stopped laughing especially when the dark haired boy who had served gawked at the dean managing to mumble out a soft, "He was wearing a wig?"

"Y-you... just.. n-noticed?" Hinata managed to get out in between giggles, hands clutching her sides as she tried to stop. "Everyone at the entrance ceremony could tell."

"O-oi, first years shut up," one of the upperclassmen tried to get out through suppressed chuckles, his face turning red from the effort.

"Tanaka you shut up to!" a much more levelheaded upperclassmen murmured frantically his expression clearly mortified.

"May I have a quick word with you all?" The dean asked his expression darkening greatly, immediately albeit a tad hesitantly all the males in the room lined up in front of him. The brunette pulled the wig of his head, sheepishly handing it to the dean already murmuring apologies. Taking it as her cue to leave Hinata turned around ready to flee before the dean called her back, making her flinch.

"Um, but why?" Hinata asked hesitantly, knowing she was treading on thin ice as the dean glared daggers at her as he pulled the wig onto his head. "I'm not part of this club."

"I wish to speak to all of you who witnessed this rather unfortunate scene," the dean replied gravely before his voice took on a rather miffed tone. "And don't take me as a fool, why else would you come to the volleyball gym if not to join the club, young man."

_Young man!?_

_Young **man**!?_

Hinata felt her face flush a bright shade of red with both anger and embarrassment. Maybe she should listen to her mom and stop gelling her hair because quite frankly the gender misconceptions that kept happening whenever she changed into unisex clothes were quite annoying. Opening her mouth and closing it again unable to find the words to properly express her mortification she couldn't do anything except ball her hands into fist.

"Well?" the dean demanded completely ignoring the myriad of emotions crossing Hinata's face. Suddenly Hinata found her voice.

"I-I'm a girl!" she shrieked, arms flailing as her face turned an even darker shade of red. "And honestly I was just going to ask for directions to the girls' volleyball gym!"

Silence.

Awkward and cliche silence followed.

"Ah, Shouyou there you are! Come on I've still got to introduce you to the team!" Of course Michimiya-senpai would choose now of all times to finally come and find her. Burying her face in her hands and squatting trying to hide her utter embarrassment only one thought was ringing through Hinata's head.

_"God why me?"_


	3. An Awkward Kageyama, A Queasy Hinata

"That was so scary," Michimiya murmured tiredly as she slid the door to the boys' gym close. Hinata didn't know who was more distressed at the moment her or Michimiya. On one hand Michimiya had gotten what was probably the worst scolding of her life, mainly consisting of "control your juniors" or "none of you witnessed this incident" and they were now probably going to be under the close inspection of the dean, on the other hand Hinata had just had her  _gender_  mistaken and been yelled at as if it were her fault to boot.

"Ah, Yui-san, good afternoon," a soft voice greeted behind them. Both of them turned around abruptly; startled by the sudden presence and while Michmiya smiled in recognition Hinata felt her mouth fall open in shock and maybejustalittlereally jealousy.

 _"No wonder they mistook me for a guy! Why are all the girls here so_   ** _pretty_**?" Hinata screeched internally, self-consciously tugging at one of the maroon sleeves of her uniform. Seriously this was getting ridiculous, first it was Michimiya who was kind and pretty in a girl next door kind of way and though she seemed a bit clumsy she was just  _so_ nice, then there was Inoue who was tall and pretty like a model and had the "cool beauty" aura going for her and now this older girl who looked like she had just stepped off the cover of a magazine even though she was just wearing a simple lavender tracksuit.

"Kiyoko-chan, it's nice to see you," Michimiya greeted warmly, waving sheepishly to the taller girl. Kiyoko merely nodded in acknowledgement though her cheeks quirked up in what was almost a smile, her eyes flicking to Hinata silently questioning. "Ah this is Hinata Shouyou, she'll be joining the volleyball club starting today. Shouyou, this is Shimizu Kiyoko, she's the boys' team's manager."

"It's n-nice to meet you," Hinata stuttered, holding out a handshake to Kiyoko though she herself was half hidden behind Michimiya. Shimizu smiled reassuringly taking her hand and squeezing gently.

"Likewise," she murmured softly, putting Hinata at ease somewhat.

"Ah, well we've gotta go," Michimiya said suddenly planting her hands on Hinata's shoulders, silently pushing her past Shimizu. Still a little bit shocked Hinata made no movement to stop the older girl as she steered her away even as she heard Shimizu whisper a soft thank you to Michmiya.

Obviously startled Michimiya turned back around to shoot the glasses wearing girl a bewildered look. "Thank you? Why?"

"For taking care of Nishinoya, I know he can be a handful," Shimizu replied a small blush spreading on her cheeks, ducking into the gym before either of the two volleyball players could respond. Michimiya laughed nostalgically, unconsciously patting Hinata's shoulders.

"Eh, Michimiya-senpai who is Nishinoya?" Hinata asked slightly confused by the turn of events.

"Ah he's a member for the boys' team," Michimiya replied easily, looking a little bemused by the question. "He's a bit of loose cannon, but he works hard. Sawamura, he's the captain of the boys' team, the scary big guy from earlier, calls him the Guardian Deity of Karasuno. By the way you can call me Yui-senpai you know, since I call you Shouyou─ wait I keep calling you Shouyou, that's so rude of me! I'm so sorry if you don't like me referring to you so informally you should really tell me, being your senpai is no excuse for that especially if you uncomfor─"

"He has such a cool title!" Hinata crowed exuberantly practically sparkling like the first time she had met Michimiya.

"Of course that's what you'd notice," Michimiya commented teasingly, slightly put-off.

"'The Guardian Deity of Karasuno' it sounds so awesome," Hinata plowed on. Before her eyes grew wide before she turned back towards Michimiya. "He must be a libero, right Michimiya-senpai?"

"Yui-senpai," the older girl corrected with a half-scolding, half-amused expression. "And yes he does."

"That's so cool! I really admire liberos especially when the receive spikes just like 'gyah' and 'swaaaah' and everyone is so excited because the earlier spike was all 'pahn' and 'baaaam'," Hinata rattled off excitedly, using vague action sounds and wind milling her arms in hopes of conveying the idea to Michimiya who was watching with an indulgent expression even though she had a hard time understanding what the girl meant.

"Well I think you'll get along fine, you even talk like him," Michimiya told her kindly, stopping the energetic first year before she could go completely off tangent.

"Wait a minute Yui-senpai why is he practicing with us?" Hinata asked finally realizing the weird circumstances. "Shouldn't he be practicing with the boys' team since he  _is_  their libero?"

"Ah well you see he was kind of banned from club activities for a month," Michimiya admitted sheepishly, continuing her explanation despite Hinata's mouth gaping open in shock. "And he was suspended for a week too. So ever since he got back he's been mingling with the girls' team to keep himself in top condition though he's been practicing by himself too."

"H-he was s-s-suspended!?" Hinata cried in horror, her complexion taking on a decidedly green tinge at the thought of meeting him. "H-he's some kind of d-d-del-delinquent!?"

"Ah, no don't misunderstand!" Yui cried hands fluttering worriedly as Hinata's hands clutched her stomach looking like she might blow chunks any moment now. "He's really not a bad guy he just gets too fired up sometimes and he really only got suspended because the dean decided to be immature about the situation."

Hinata seemed to calm down at that, her complexion slowly turning back to normal though she still looked a bit uneasy. Michimiya made a mental note to keep a bucket in the gym at all times just in case Hinata's queasy fits happened often, also making a mental note to keep some plastic bags on her if she ever entered a vehicle with the smaller girl.

"You don't have to worry though," Michimiya continued to assure even as they stood in front of the gym with the word "Gym Five" emblazoned over the door. "You won't be meeting him just yet since he's off doing his solo training right now, just focusing on meeting the girls first, okay?"

"Okay," Hinata replied softly feeling her stomach settle with butterflies instead of their sadly frequent somersaults proving that she was excited not terrified.

"They're all really nice," Michimiya encouraged further, pulling the slightly rusted doors open confidently as she shot Hinata a reassuring smile over her shoulder, "you have absolutely nothing to worry about, Shouyou."

"You're right senpai, sorry for troubling you earlier," she replied confidently, sending Michimiya a half-teasing salute. Michimiya grinned impishly before calling everyone in the gym to order.

_"Huh, I don't feel anxious anymore."_

* * *

"Hinata, here," one of the dark haired twins cried, tossing the ball high into the air. Ecstatic Shouyou jumped eagerly to spike it, undeniably pleased with herself for having a senior toss to her with so much confidence.

Spiking the ball into the court with practiced ease Shouyou let out a laugh as she landed, reveling in the familiar stinging sensation on her palm.

"That was amazing, um, senpai!" Shouyou cried trying to cover up the fact that she didn't quite remember which of the twins she was talking. The girl simple sighed as if it happened often.

"I'm Murakami  _Kukiko_ ," she said softly which sent Shouyou into a fit of apologies until the older girl kindly stopped her, telling her it was no big deal. "If you're having problems telling just look at our hair parts, I part my hair on my left side, see?"

The older girl pointed to where her bangs parted, using exaggerated motions to keep Shouyou's attention before pointing to her twin across the gym who was practicing receives, "Yuki parts her hair on her right."

"Don't worry too much," Yui butted in smiling, throwing an arm over both girls' shoulder and though Shouyou didn't have too much trouble with it she saw Kukiko roll her eyes in exasperation. "It's still the first day, it's okay if you get a couple names mixed up."

"Hmm," Kukiko affirmed silently, tilting her head in what must have been a nod before ducking under Yui's arm to go join her sister in practicing. Shouyou watched her go in curiosity since the older girl seemed to be having a completely silent conversation with her twin. Shouyou watched as the two girls separated from Yuki's earlier receiving partner going off to one side of the gym to practice by themselves.

"Do they do that often, Yui-senpai?" Shouyou asked slightly confused. "Practice by themselves I mean."

"Yeah, unfortunately," Yui responded sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head as she glanced away from Shouyou. "The twins prefer to go off on their own to practice and I'm not stern enough to force them to practice with other players."

Before Shouyou could respond the doors slid open a tall girl stepping in, her ashy blonde ponytail swinging behind her as she dragged something in after her. Belatedly Shouyou realized it was a person and not just anyone, but the tall raven haired guy from earlier, the one who's serve had started the entire mess with the dean in the first place, he was muttering curses under his breath as he was not so kindly dragged behind the girl.

"Ah, Ruka you're here! Hey, wait where are the oth─ Who the heck are you dragging!?" Yui exclaimed loudly, gesturing frantically to the sullen looking boy.

"Aya has student council duties so she won't be able to make practice and I couldn't find Mei, but I found this guy," Ruka dragged him upwards and shaking him slightly making him glare even harder at her, "sitting outside our gym looking like he was planning murder."

"You're that guy from earlier!" Shouyou shouted loudly, pointing rather rudely at him. "Killer serve!"

The boy spluttered looking at her as if she had just greatly offended him, biting our a vicious, "My names is Kageyama Tobio."Before turning away from her petulantly looking almost like a child throwing a tantrum.

"Yes, yes so you're Kageyama Tobio," Ruka mocked him somewhat impatiently. "Now if you would please explain why you were sulking outside our gym."

"Sawamura-san told me to come apologize to you guys for causing you trouble earlier," he said bright red painting over his features and he choked the words out, he honestly look like he was going to spontaneously combust any moment now. He turned to both Yui and Shouyou his expression a mix of annoyance and embarrassment as he bowed low. "I'm very sorry for getting you guys in trouble with the dean."

An awkward pause.

"You're a pretty introverted brat aren't you?" Ruka murmured between snickers, sending Kageyama into a fit of incomprehensible spluttering, much to Yui's and Shouyou's amusement. Ruka abruptly turned to Shouyou who she had ignored for the most part, "You must be our newest member, my name's Ogawa Ruka, you're free to call me Ruka-senpai."

"It's nice to meet you Ruka-senpai! My name's Hinata Shouyou!"

"I know, Yui told me about you," the older girl laughed as both Yui and Shouyou turned red at nearly the same time. "Looks like we've got a rather lively addition to the team. And you what else do you need to ask?"

Kageyama looked startled to be addressed so suddenly, but quickly went about explaining the situation to them. "W-well apparently I can't play setter for the team u-unless I beat the other first years in the annual three on three match, but since there are only three first years this year the teams are uneven since my team only consists of me and Tanaka-san. Sawamura-san suggested that I ask the girls' volleyball team if one of their first years would be willing to play on my team for the three on three. So I was wondering if I could ask this favor of you!"

Both Yui and Ruka contemplated Kageyama's offer for a moment seemingly unsure before nodding and turning back to the tall first year.

"Well we only have one applicant actually," Yui confessed looking a bit embarrassed to have admitted it. "Shouyou's the only one, so if it really has to be a first year player─"

"You have to get Hina-chan to accept," Ruka finished smugly.

"Who's Hina-chan?" Shouyou cried abruptly unaware that the older girl had already given her a nickname. Did they not know she was a first year? Wait no Michimiya had gone all the way to one of her matches and was surely aware that she had just gotten out of junior high. She hadn't submitted an application had she? Did that mean they didn't consider her part of the team just yet?

"You obviously, haven't you heard of nicknames?" Ruka replied a tad exasperatedly.

"Oh," Shouyou murmured in understanding, nodding her head trying to cover up for her blunder.

"So will you?" Kageyama demanded planting himself in front of her with a rather terrifying expression on his face, Shouyou heard Ruka mutter something that oddly sounded like "this kid will never get a girlfriend" and looked up at Kageyama's staggering height fearfully unsure of what he was asking.

"W-will I w-what?" she stuttered badly trying to back away from the intimidating boy.

"If you'll play on his team for the three on three," Ruka broke in, separating the two in hopes of calming Shouyou down a little bit. Shouyou bit the inside of her cheek nervously, surely it couldn't be  _that_  bad right? Plus it was a chance to practice her volleyball skills against someone who wouldn't be her teammate, it could be a really good learning experience, couldn't it?

"Sure, I'd love to," she replied giving Kageyama what she hoped was a confident smile.

_"Let's hope that this doesn't blow up in my face."_

* * *

"Eh, Nee-chan you're leaving so early?" Natsu murmured unhappily as he made his way out of his room pouting as he watched his older sister put on her shoes. The girl in question looked up at her little brother with a fond smile as she tied her laces tight. She was wearing some of her usual volleyball practice clothes along with her own dark blue Karasuno varsity jacket which Michimiya had give her yesterday, her hair was in her usual practice ponytail since her bottle of hair gel had  _mysteriously_ disappeared, much to her mother's delight.

"Yeah, I have morning practice so I can't stick around Natsu," Shouyou replied apologetically before grabbing her bag and lunch and planting a soft kiss on her brother's forehead. Then calling in the general direction of the kitchen, "I'm leaving now, Mama!"

"Be careful it's still dark out!" The woman cried poking her head out of the kitchen to give her daughter a worried look. "Focus and look out for cars or animals or people─"

"Of course," Shouyou cut her off smiling, before turning to leave and called over her shoulder "I love you guys!"

"Call me if your practice runs late!"

"Yes!" Shouyou replied even though the door had already closed behind her.

It was a thirty-minute bike ride from Yukigaoka to the next town over where Karasuno high school was located. Most people would have called it tedious, but for Shouyou who seemed to have an inhuman amount of energy it was a good period of time to think and prepare for the day. Not to mention the extra exercise helped her build stamina which was something she really needed as a volleyball player.

Shouyou couldn't help but feel extremely glad for the daily warm-up as she locked her bike to the bike rack. She was going to build up so much stamina by their first match she was going to be unstoppable.

Making her way through the school's gates she couldn't help but thing about how eerie it seemed without students milling about. She passed an individual every now and then holding some kind of sports' equipment and noted how it seemed that like at Yukigaoka Junior High the earliest risers were from sports teams. She continued walking until she saw Kageyama's tall figure appear in front of her, feeling a small smirk spread across her face she broke into a run.

"See you there, slow poke," she screeched rushing past him like a bullet. She caught a momentary glimpse of Kageyama's bewildered expression as she shot past him and didn't bother to hold back her snicker.

"Oi wait up, shrimpy!" he yelled behind her and she sped up as she realized he had also broken into a run

"Never," she shrieked back turning a corner towards their gym. She could feel him getting closer, but there was no way she was loosing to some random boy, no matter how vicious his serve was. As she approached the gym she didn't really have time to speculate on why the door was open because Kageyama tried to shoulder past her roughly sending both of them sprawling over the steps in front of gym's door.

"That was my win you bastard," she hissed from under him trying to squirm her way out. He was muttering curses, untangling himself from her with an expression looking like someone had peed in his cereal.

"Tch, it won't happen again," he muttered straightening himself and trying to catch his breath. Shouyou threw him an annoyed glance before pointing out the obvious question for the situation.

"Hey, why is the door already open?" Shouyou asked nudging him.

"As if I would know," he muttered, but he followed her lead also peered into the gym. Both of the remained silent as they watched a boy repeatedly receive a ball, sometimes sending it up with too much or too little power or sending it careening in wild directions, but still managing to keep it from hitting the floor.

"That's so cool," Shouyou murmured, awed by the boy's concentration. He was so focused on the ball he didn't even seem to realize them watching them so of course Kageyama took the initiative.

He pushed Shouyou into the gym.

Pulling herself upright, face red and spluttering the only girl in the vicinity sent a nasty glare to Kageyama before turning around to face the other boy who was staring at her, mouth hanging open like a fish.

"Um, ano, excuse me─" before Shouyou could so much as finish the boy was already right in front of her an excited expression on his slightly blushing face.

"You're shorter than me! And you're really cute!" he crowed triumphantly leaning way too far into Shouyou's personal space.

 _"So do I punch him or_ ─ _?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nishinoya and Shimizu made an appearance~


	4. Rivals, Fighting and Blushing

"Well, aren't you all up bright and ear─ Nishinoya what do you think you're doing!?" Michimiya screeched startling everyone in the vicinity.

Kageyama would be the first to admit that this situation did not look good from any angle.

The short second year who must have been the Nishinoya Yuu he had been hearing so much about from Tanaka was leaning so far into Hinata's personal space that it looked almost indecent. Not to mention Hinata's face had turned a rather adorable shade of red as she tried to subtly lean away from Nishinoya while her hands clenched in fists at her sides, despite her restrained stance the short girl looked plain  _distressed_. Then of course there was Kageyama himself who couldn't keep the dark glower on his face as he observed the ongoing train wreck with growing agitation.

Now if this was a shoujo manga it would be because deep, deep, deep,  _deep_ down Kageyama realized he was just a tad protective of Hinata and felt uncomfortable with Nishinoya being so close to her.  _If_ this was shoujo manga. But it's not. This is Karasuno we're talking about and many would agree that Kageyama is romantically impaired so of course it has something to do with volleyball. Because a flustered Hinata meant less concentration on practice, less concentration meant poorer practice results, poorer practice results meant that they might lose, losing meant Kageyama couldn't play setter.  **Kageyama. Couldn't. Play. Setter.**

Cue the hell fire.

"K-k-kageyama what's with that face!?" Hinata shrieked promptly scrambling behind Michimiya to get away from both him and Nishinoya, looking green and terrified out of her mind. Nishinoya on the other hand was staring confusedly between Kageyama, Michimiya and Hinata still unsure why the atmosphere had suddenly become so tense. Michimiya groaned at both boys' denseness before turning to Shouyou to rub soothing circles on her back in hopes that it would ease her stomach.

The younger girl feebly straightened, murmuring soft apologies for causing a delay in practice, but Michimiya just sighed steering her over to the side of the gym where they thankfully had a bench. Kageyama watched in silence though annoyance was bubbling under the surface of his calm façade, that was of course not fooling anyone, not even the oblivious Nishinoya. As captain and the only third year witness of the events transpiring Michimiya tried to diffuse the rather awkward situation.

Key word being  _tried_.

"Ne, Shouyou-chan are you all right?" Michimiya asked quietly squatting down in front of the shorter girl, wearily checking over her to see if she was doing better. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Nishinoya start walking towards them, but she sent him a look that might not have been very effective on the girls' team, but did wonders on the rambunctious second year, effectively freezing him in his tracks.

Kageyama watched the entire exchange from the sidelines, resisting the urge to go over and there and drag Hinata to start practicing. With a disgruntled growl he began his stretches, keeping an ear on the conversation between the only two girls in the gym.

"I'm sorry, senpai," Hinata stood, a much more relaxed expression on her face as she stretched her arms above her head. She rubbed her head with a sheepish expression before explaining to Michimiya with a long look of suffering on her face. "My stomach gets upset when I'm nervous or embarassed…."

That got to Kageyama.

After all if Hinata got nervous from just Nishinoya how would she react to someone rude and intimidating like Tsukishima? Would they be forced to forfeit the three on three just because Hinata would be deemed incapable of playing? Would he not be able to play setter for the next Inter-High and Spring Tournament just because of that? But if he didn't play this year he'd never get to play Oikawa in an official match, he'd be stuck wondering if he could ever be better than him and have to deal with his cocky upperclassmen's forever nagging voice that he never  _did_ beat him.

All because one silly little girl couldn't keep her lunch down.

As if Kageyama would let that happen. He'd  _smack_  the nervousness out of her if that's what it came to.

"Oi, Idiot Hinata don't get so flustered over something like that!" Kageyama yelled feeling a vein pop on his forehead. Making his way over to the cowering girl he thumped her on the back just as strongly as any other guy, sending her sprawling forward with a wild cough. Out of the corner of his eye he say Nishinoya take a step forward with a confused yet oddly confrontational expression, but Kageyama ignored him anyway. "How do you expect to become one of the best if you get flustered every time a guy goes near you?"

"I can't help it if I get nervous," she spat back furiously, cringing as she rubbed the aching spot on her back, man Kageyama could hit. Oddly enough Hinata was kind of happy about that, when she had agreed to help Kageyama for the three on three she had been worried that both him, their other teammate and mostly likely their opponent too would treat her like glass doll and go easy on her, underestimate her. That's the last thing she wanted, so while Kageyama's harshness and superiority were annoying and irritating they were oddly reassuring too.

"Don't treat girls like that," Nishinoya barked loudly the crease between his eyebrows growing a little more prominent though he was still a bit confused by the entire situation. Kageyama continued to ignore the short second year, completely unabashed as he made his way over to the basket containing volleyballs and picking one up. He glanced at Nishinoya who still looked rather skeptical then at Hinata who was looking at him in a mixture of dazed confusion and bright unspoken challenge.

"Well are you just going to sit around all morning or are you actually going to start practicing?"

_"Let's see what you're made of, Hinata Shouyou."_

* * *

"And he was an absolute jerk about practice too!" Hinata exclaimed, moving her hands in hysterical fluttering motions as she tried to convey her annoyance to the taller girl. "He kept on mocking my receiving skills and he absolutely  _refused_  to send tosses to me, that arrogant King!"

"Well he sounds like your grade a pain in the ass," Inoue commented calmly, picking at a couple vegetables in her bento with her chopsticks. Her  _third_  rather large bento to be precise.

Hinata had  _invited_ the taller girl to join her in eating lunch on the steps in front of gym five. Or at least invited was the term Hinata used, if anyone asked Inoue she'd probably go along the lines of "forcibly dragged by a girl who has too much energy for her size" though Inoue would also have to admit that she was a bit relieved that someone had bothered to ask her, she didn't really fancy eating on her own. The other students in their class had avoided her like the plague for the first day and when Hinata had asked a pair of girls why they just shrugged their shoulders saying that she seemed too unapproachable. Undeterred of course it had been Hinata who had approached Inoue during lunch with a spring in her step, a bento in one hand and volleyball in the other.

"Mou, if you're going to say that you could at least put some energy into it," Hinata whined, munching on her onigiri with conviction.

"I can't help it," Inoue replied monotonously. "This is my default personality."

Hinata huffed, stealing a piece of chicken off Inoue's bento much to the taller girl's chagrin. The two girls had a silent staring contest for a long moment before Inoue's cheeks twitched up into a semi-smile, something Hinata probably wouldn't have notice if she wasn't staring so intently. Momentarily stunned Hinata didn't react fast enough as Inoue's hand shot forward grabbing the last onigiri in her bento. Squawking indignantly Hinata watched as the taller girl took a huge bite of it before returning it to the bento with a prominent Cheshire cat grin, not even bothering to hide it.

"Well we're even now," Inoue commented blandly, her face falling back into its usual blank expression. Hinata pouted, but let it go as she finished the piece of chicken she had in her hands with a content expression, only looking up when Inoue cleared her throat. "Hey I've been wondering, why exactly do you refer to Kageyama as 'King'?"

Hinata's expression suddenly soured.

"Oh, I remembered where I heard his name before," she muttered darkly, looking like she swallowed a snail. "He was a big deal, even in women's volleyball. He had enviable talent at practically everything; serving, blocking, spiking, receiving he could do it all with annoying ease. Though he really made a name for himself as a setter, he had super-fast tosses that were wicked accurate and always seemed to thwart the opponent's defense. That's what got him that really cool nickname. I'm rather jealous actually."

"Then why do you act like there's still more to this?" Inoue deadpanned, a dark eyebrow rising into her hair. Hinata momentarily considered that mind-reading was involved, but during the entire time she had known Inoue, a total of two days, the tall girl had proven that she was quite observant behind that blank expression. Though the fact she noticed so many small details  _could_ still be because she was a mind-reader.

"Well yeah you're right," Hinata admitted glancing over her shoulder as if confirming that no one was listening in on them before leaning forward, motioning for Inoue to do the same. "Well you see there was a rumor going around last year that it wasn't Kageyama's opponents that gave him that name, his teammates did."

"Ah so it's a one of those classic sports clichés," Inoue murmured leaning back and looking up at the sky a contemplative expression on her face. Hinata couldn't help but gape at her. She didn't even finish! So Inoue really was mind-reader!

"Hinata-san I can tell from your expression that you're thinking of something ridiculous, please perish the thought," Inoue cut in, her eyebrows drawing together just a fraction though her eyes stayed trained towards the sky.

"Liar!" Hinata cried her cheeks flushing pink. "You didn't even look at me! You really must be a mind reader!"

"It's called peripheral vision, Hinata-san."

"Periphe─ what now?"

"Peripheral vision, it means I saw you out of the corner of my eye. And how exactly am I a mind reader?"

"Oh so that's like noticing blockers and such without looking directly at them, I see! And you're a mind reader because you knew what was going on with the rumors about Kageyama before I even finished telling you!"

"It's not that hard to take a guess," Inoue told her, meeting Hinata's gaze before her eyes flitted over to her hands which were laced in her lap. "Plenty of teams have had players that are a head and shoulders above the rest of the team in skill. Kageyama is by far not the first player to have his teammates dislike him. Though he probably did that unconsciously."

"What do you mean unconsciously?" Hinata asked a question mark practically floating above her head.

"People with superior skill and talent have a hard time understanding that most players can't move like they do," Inoue told her, refusing to look Hinata in the eye. "They demand much more from their teammates to try and balance out the team. Geniuses have a hard time understanding that it's not the team that needs to up their skill level to match them, but it's them who have to manipulate their skill to benefit the team."

"I don't completely get it," Hinata said apologetically, sheepishly rubbing the back of her head though she could feel a twinge of nostalgia getting to her. "But from what you told me I honestly think geniuses have it harder, since they need to match us normal players after all. Though it doesn't change the fact I would give just about anything to have that kind of talent..."

"I get what you m─" Inoue was suddenly cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps, Michimiya was in the lead a sheepish smile on her face, a girl with average height trailing behind her. The girl's hair was cut short and her brown eyes immediately locked onto Hinata lighting up with excitement as she jumped towards the orange haired girl, nearly knocking the short ginger to the floor with a flying tackle hug.

"Hi! You must be Shouyou! I'm Kikuchi Mei, though you're free to call me Kikuchi-senpai! Second year from class four nice to meet ya! And honestly please call me Kikuchi-senpai!" she shot off in rapid succession, squeezing Hinata like she was a cute stuffed animal that had just been won from a carnival attraction. Michimiya watched in amusement as Hinata floundered against the cuddly second year and Inoue watched the entire situation with mild concern, but was secretly enjoying the spectacle too much to actually muster the energy to try and stop it.

"K-kuchi-senpai please... let go... I can't... breathe," Hinata gasped trying to force the words out.

"Oops, sorry," the older girl giggled, unwinding her arms from around Hinata.

"Yui-senpai, hah, why are you guys... here?" Hinata asked between pants, placing her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath.

"Well you mentioned how you planned on practicing during lunch so I asked your classmates where you were," Michimiya explained with a tired smiled. "They pointed me here, I ran into Mei along the way and she wanted to meet you, so here we are."

"I couldn't make it to practice yesterday since the girls' basketball team got their hands on me," Kikuchi chimed in helpfully.

"I'm going to be really strict this year!" Michimiya cried puffing out her cheeks. "Skiving off practice is absolutely not allowed!"

"Of course, Michimiya-senpai," Kikuchi replied though it unnerved Hinata how cheekily she said it.

"Well what are we waiting for? There are thirty minutes of lunch break left!" Michimiya barked, sounding surprisingly stern with her hands on her hips. "Hop to practice."

"E-eh, but Inoue-chan," Hinata murmured glancing towards the tall brunette uncertain of what to do. Inoue patted her shoulder reassuringly though her face stayed emotionless as ever, shrugging as she gathered up her lunch.

"I was planning on talking to someone from the basketball club anyway," Inoue murmured, walking away without another word. Hinata watched her go with a wary expression.

_"Is she upset? I'm not sure, why does Inoue-chan have to be such a kuudere? Gah I'll make it up to her tomorrow, I swear!"_

* * *

Hinata felt her muscles groan in pain as her body hit the floor trying to receive another one of Kageyama's serves. The boy in question was already spinning another ball in his hands as he prepared to serve again.

"Oi, what happened to those amazing reflexes from this morning?" Kageyama demanded loudly, his glare looking particularly nasty. "You need to focus."

Groaning loudly, Hinata dragged herself into a kneeling position as she glared up at the tall boy. Receiving that's all she had been doing for the past thirty minutes. Sure she knew all her basics besides spiking were sorely lacking, but now Kageyama was just being plain stingy. "All I'm doing is receiving! Let me spike too, let me jump too!"

"Then go jump around!" Kageyama retaliated loudly and childishly in return.

"Honestly, Kageyama doesn't seem to care that Hina-chan's a girl one way or another," Ogawa commented blandly as she and Michimiya watched the duo bicker back and forth, their insults getting more childish by the second.

"I think that's a good thing," Michimiya replied after recapping her water bottle. "I think Shouyou is a bit relieved that Kageyama is being hard on her, it means he's not underestimating her, especially since she can consider him a teammate for this three on three."

"Speaking of teammates," Ogawa murmured glancing at Michimiya. "Who's the third member on their team again?"

"Oh, it's Tanaka Ryuunosuke."

"That loud, second year with the monk cut? The one who has a habit of taking his shirt off?"

"Yep that's the one, I actually invited him to drop by to check out Kageyama and Hinata's practice, you know let him observe how they're doing."

"Isn't he almost as bad as Nishinoya around girls? Not to mention just as temperamental as him?"

"You could say that."

"Hina-chan, have mercy on our floors."

"Don't worry I've got a bucket on standby."

Needless to say, the girls' volleyball team is extremely aware of Hinata's rather  _active_  bowel movement. And have taken the necessary precautions in case their first year should get too nervous.

"Though her nervousness doesn't really get to her when she's around Kageyama," Ogawa commented glancing at the pair who's argument has had escalated into a rather painful looking game of tag. The older girl winced as she watched Hinata smack Kageyama's arm with a self-satisfied expression on her face only to have him tug viciously at her pony tail. Of course this returned to their previous screaming match.

"Alright, alright break it up you two," Michimiya called taking it upon herself as captain to play peacemaker. "Take a water break, both of you, preferably on opposite sides of the gym."

Both Hinata and Kageyama separated, muttering obscenities under their breath as they both stalked toward the bench to grab their water bottles, glared at each other and then fled to the opposite sides of the court like Michimiya proposed. All the seniors in the room watched the two with vague concern, wondering how on earth those two would get it together before the three on three.

"Which reminds me," Michimiya said turning to Ogawa with a confused expression. "Why isn't Aya here?"

"I don't know," the tall blonde answered her eyebrows also knitting together in confusion. "She doesn't have student council today and she  _did_  tell me she'd be coming to practice…"

"Ah, everyone I'm sorry I'm late," an apologetic voice called from the open doorway. Hinata watched in confusion as a pretty brown haired girl walked into the gymnasium, she was pretty in average in height and she wore yellow barrettes in her hair, but what Hinata really noticed was the person following behind her. He was fairly tall though Hinata noted he wasn't as tall as Kageyama and he had a shaved head.

"Tanaka-san," Kageyama greeted, returning his water bottle to the bench.

"Tanaka-san?" Hinata repeated bewildered. Said boy glanced at her, his eyes going wide as they locked on to her and Hinata steeled herself for something similar to Nishinoya, but was surprised when he did the opposite. She watched as he seemed to move behind Kageyama ever so slightly before bowing low.

"N-nice to m-meet you my name is T-tanaka Ry-ryuunosuke, s-second year," he stuttered looking anywhere but her. Hinata stared at him not exactly sure where he was going to say as his face turned bright red. "Y-you m-must be Hinata-chan, I-I look forward to working with you for the t-three on three."

Hinata smiled somewhat sheepishly feeling heat rush up to her face, moving forward to thank him for the compliment. She was going to do that, but Tanaka tripped over air and landed face first with a rather dazed expression on his face.

Hinata's expression twitched somewhere between annoyance and mortification.

_"Are we really going to do alright in the three on three?"_

* * *

"Good work today!" Michimiya called, already slinging her bag over her shoulder as she locked the doors to the gym before tossing Hinata the keys. "You'll be in charge of opening the gym tomorrow. Try to be early because Nishinoya comes around 6:00 am for morning practice."

"H-hai!" Hinata responded nervously, nearly dropping the keys and the volleyball she had brought with her. Beside her Kageyama gritted his teeth and Hinata could practically hear his silent warning to not even  _dare_  be late tomorrow.

"Alright, see you tomorrow!" Michimiya called leaving the two first years saying she needed to meet up with a classmate for some kind of project. Kageyama and Hinata watched as she walked away before glancing at each other.

"You're still lousy," Kageyama informed her.

"And you're still an ass," Hinata responded though she looked away a slight blush spreading across her face. "But I'll have to admit you're an amazing player."

Kageyama felt heat spread to his cheeks in responses though he just pushed her forward telling her if you didn't get a move on she would get home really late and would probably worry her family.

"I don't see you worrying about what your family will think," Hinata responded with a slight pout, tossing the ball in her hands high above her head. Kageyama glanced at her with a slight furrow between his eyebrows.

"I'm a guy," he responded nonchalantly, ignoring Hinata's annoyed glance and her grumbling about sexist comments as he glanced at her t-shirt and volleyball shorts only covered up by her navy blue volleyball jacket. "Hey, aren't you cold?"

"Ah no not really," she informed. "Plus I'm riding my bike home; I'd rather not do it in a skirt, don't want to end up flashing anyone my underwear."

Kageyama would vehemently defend that it was the cold that sent the blush through his cheeks, definitely not embarrassment.

They kept walking in silence, Kageyama too embarrassed to comment on anything else in case Hinata decided to tell him another shameless thing that most girls wouldn't dare admit to anyone, much less a member of the opposite sex. Slightly perturbed by Kageyama's silence Hinata continued sending the ball into the air, catching it between both hands every time almost absentmindedly.

Until of course a hand appeared above her head, catching it before it was in her reach.

"Oi, Kageyama what did you do that for─?" she demanded loudly turning around with an annoyed expression only to find herself face-to-face with a tall blond wearing glasses. Well not exactly face-to-face, more like face to stomach, but like hell Hinata was going to admit that. Behind him was another tall boy who's only distinguishing features to Hinata were his freckles and prominent cowlick.

"Oh so it's true, you really are practicing with the girls' team." The tall blond taunted Kageyama loudly, holding the ball far out of Hinata's reach, making her grind her teeth in agitation. Freckles behind him snickered as the taller boy glanced down at Hinata with a taunting smirk. "Isn't it time for the elementary kids to go home?"

"If you haven't noticed that's exactly what we're doing! Who the hell are you to say that anyway?" Hinata snapped, peeved off.

"They're our opponents for the three on three," Kageyama informed her, his usual glower coming back full force as he stared down the tall blond. "Which reminds me I never did get to ask you your height, Tsukishima."

"Tsukki's 188," the freckled boy responded for the first time, a smug smirk on his face. "He'll be 190 soon."

"190," Hinata murmured in awe despite herself.

"What are you bragging about, Yamaguchi?"

"Sorry, Tsukki."

"I don't care if you're almost 190!" Hinata informed them all loudly, breaking Kageyama and Tsukishima's glaring contest and causing Yamaguchi to stare at her. "We'll defeat you this Saturday, you can count on that!"

"Is that so?" Tsukishima responded with a rather bored expression.

"Of course!" she responded shrilly annoyed with his nonchalant response.

"It might be an important match for Kageyama and you might have too much pride to lose," Tsukishima informed them absentmindedly tossing the ball into the air with one hand, "but it doesn't matter to me at all."

"Huh?" Hinata demanded loudly, disliking him even more and more with every word.

"I'm not really worried about winning or losing, so if Kageyama really needs to win," Tsukishima continued, his face slipping into a serene and mocking smile. "I can go easy on you if you like."

"What?" Hinata screeched, two seconds away from launching herself at the blond boy and breaking his nose.

"Whether you go easy or give it your all, the bottom line is that we  _will_ win," Kageyama bit out viciously though his voice was eerily calm. The complete opposite of the hell fire that seemed to be growing around him.

"Just what I'd expect from the 'King'," Tsukishima laughed, Yamaguchi nodding in the background a rather annoying smirk on his face. "I look forward to seeing you play this Saturday, that egocentric toss I mean─"

Tsukishima trailed off in stunned silence as Hinata jumped in the air, catching the ball he had tossed up with deft confidence, her feet practically clearing his head. Turning towards him with a look or pure animosity as she landed, Hinata practically hissed out her following words.

"Kageyama's not the only one you'll have to look out for during the three on three. I'm here to."

"No need to be so intense," Tsukishima told her mockingly though his indifferent expression had given way to something more akin to annoyance. Turning around he began stalking away, Yamaguchi following him wearily, but of course Tsukishima wouldn't leave without a parting jab. "Well I'll see you both in this Saturday, try not to get blocked, shorty."

Hinata gnashed her teeth, but Kageyama put a hand on her shoulder silently warning her to not make it worse, for now at least.

_"Crushing that stupid giant is my priority for the three on three."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah Tsukishima how I enjoyed writing you...


	5. Final Preparations

No girl confused Kageyama Tobio more than Hinata Shouyou. That was saying a lot since Kageyama could barely understand  _any_ girl, though in fairness to Kageyama, most guys would have found her confusing too. And no, it wasn't because of Hinata's physique though it was true, the short ginger didn't seem to possess the curves you'd expect of a high school girl. It was something Kageyama couldn't really explain in a sentence; heck it took examples and comparisons for  _him_ to understand it, and they were his thoughts!

Hinata just made it so  _easy_  to forget she was a girl.

She just barely reached his chest yet she kept up with him at an almost astounding rate. She challenged him to races like nobody's business, even managing to win every now and then, competed with him in nearly everything else and stole win after win in some of the most ridiculous ways. She worked just as hard as Kageyama and though it put a bitter taste in his mouth to admit it, there were times when Hinata made it obvious that she could probably outlast him in a test of endurance. She didn't complain about aching limbs or not enough rests, instead she yelled at him about how she wanted him to toss to her and hit him right back when he smacked her for her lousy receives.

When Kageyama had dragged her outside so she could get used to receiving on uneven ground she hadn't shied away or whined, she had gotten into position and told him to give her his best serve. When the ball had gotten stuck in a tree she didn't stand around idly waiting for Kageyama to get it, she climbed the tree with all the agile grace of a squirrel and chucked it down on Kageyama's head for good measure.

So when Hinata  _did_  act like a girl it threw Kageyama for a loop that left him cursing females everywhere.

One minute she was the same annoying idiot; loud, driven and utterly unflappable in her need to compete with him, next she was talking with Michimiya about girly necessities that Kageyama didn't  _want_ to understand. Nope, no thank you Kageyama wanted no part in the discussions of skirts or hair ties or menstrual tips. In his mind Hinata was neither here nor there on the gender scale; she was just a ball of athletic reflexes that he would use to his advantage in the upcoming three on three.

And they'd win; oh Kageyama would make sure that they won. Even if his chance at being the team's setter wasn't at stake he'd still play the match like his life depended on it, just to rub it in to that stupid Tsukishima's face.

Out of all the volleyball people in Karasuno that Kageyama had met Tsukishima took the cake for worst character. Of course there was Yamaguchi, but Kageyama had seen him outside of club activities and not around Tsukishima, the kid was nice,  _really_  nice, he'd even heard one girl in his class describe Yamaguchi and "dorkishly cute," whatever that meant. Then there was Tanaka too, who liked to pick fights for no apparent reason yet wanted Kageyama to call him "senpai" the very next moment. Sawamura who was his new captain and though he was nothing like Oikawa, Kageyama had never really gotten over his first rather horrifying impression of the stern third year. There was also Nishinoya who set Kageyama on edge and buzzed around both him and Hinata insistently. The combined power of the two loudmouths was enough to give Kageyama headaches, it didn't help that Nishinoya always hovered and indirectly insisted that they call him senpai. Which Hinata did in a heartbeat which in turn made Nishinoya grin and promise to buy her ice cream while effectively making Kageyama's stomach churn uneasily. Heck even Ogawa Ruka, the girls' volleyball team's vice-captain was on Kageyama's list of unpleasant people.

It didn't matter really matter though, Tsukishima really was the most unpleasant volleyball person Kageyama had ever met  _besides_  Oikawa. At least that's something he and Hinata could agree on besides their love for volleyball.

"Oi, Kageyama quit daydreaming!" Shrill, loud and obnoxious; that had to be Hinata, making an unapologetic noise in the back of his throat Kageyama ignored her, turning away and staring off into space once more. Yes they would defeat Tsukishima and then he'd take pleasure in rubbing it in that shady glasses character's fa─.

Someone had the audacity to hit him in the face.

With a volleyball of all things.

"Hinata!" he yelled, managing to send a harsh serve over to the snickering ginger despite the persistent throbbing pain all over his face. Instead of shrinking back, which was a sadly frequent occurrence, Hinata merely puffed out her cheeks trying to look intimidating, but failing miserably.

"It's your fault!" she responded shrilly, receiving the ball solidly. "You're the one helping me practice receives, you shouldn't be spacing out!"

"Idiot! You have no right to complain when you can't even receive properly!" he called back to her, fighting the annoyance as she managed to receive his next hit, Hinata momentarily losing her balance before getting back onto her feet once more. She always got back up, not matter how much Kageyama tried to push her down. It was irritating and it made Kageyama's teeth grind for reasons he just couldn't explain.  _"I want her to stop already."_

"You're done for─" he tried to cry out once more sending another powerful serve at her and watched as Hinata's knees wobbled as she received, only to have her cut him off as the ball arched back into the air.

"I haven't dropped the ball yet!" It startled Kageyama; Hinata's conviction. Her determination, even as she stood there barely keeping herself upright, the solid confidence in her voice and though they were too very different voices that confidence and assurance reminded him too much of someone else, someone a lot more unpleasant.

"Oh yeah?"

That look wasn't arrogance, it was determination, but he's seen it once before. On a person he would give everything to beat. Someone he acknowledged was probably  _a lot_  worse than Tsukishima in the personality department. So Kageyama did something that was rude and uncharacteristic, completely uncalled for, especially for a girl who was just trying to give her all to practicing. He sent the ball high into the air with so much force and power it went rocketing high above Hinata's head.  _"Crap I didn't mean to hit it that hard!"_

"That's bad character, Kageyama!" Ogawa called from the sidelines, looking worriedly over to the small first year girl, whose eyes were locked onto the ball, eyes tracking it like a predator to its prey. Hinata practically blurred as she pounced after it, throwing herself to receive it solidly with her forearm, but crashing to the floor for the reckless move. Kageyama stood frozen as Hinata picked herself up, stunned by what he'd just seen.

Unconsciously his hands went up in a position he knew very well. It might as well have been in slowing motion as the ball met his fingertips, sending the ball into the area he desired with startling precision and an almost inhuman amount of grace.

"What's the point of tossing now, Hinata's too tired to spike."

"He really doesn't give her a break, does he?"

"Bad character I tell you."

"Shouyou can't hit that in her condition."

 _"You're wrong_ ," Kageyama thought eyes not straying from the ball as it began its gentle arch.  _"A person with that much determination wouldn't be beaten by something like this."_

And Hinata didn't disappoint. Practically flying she hit the toss with a smile so wide it would probably split her face in half, beaming down at Kageyama was the ball slammed onto the opposite of net and falling back to earth in slow motion as everyone in the gym stared in stunned silence.

"Kageyama that was awesome!" Hinata cried practically throwing herself at him. Before he fully comprehended what he was doing his arms had already wound around her waist to try and protect her as they crashed to the floor. He heard the snickers from the other girls in the gym who had shown up for afternoon practice and the brief murmurs of amazement at Hinata's jump, but his brain could hardly put the pieces together.

Hinata stared at him for a moment, ginger hair falling out of her ponytail and sticking up wildly. And those brown eyes just stared at him, wide and innocent, ecstatic beyond belief as Hinata beamed at him still too high ─off of being able to spike─ to fully comprehend the embarrassing situation she had just put them in. Kageyama felt his face turn nine shades of red at the realization, but Hinata didn't make any motion to move off him.

So of course Kageyama took matters into his own hands.

He literally picked Hinata up and tossed her off him. Of course Hinata ─being the most annoying girl on the planet─ managed to land on two feet. Thank goodness for the girl's monster reflexes or else he'd probably get his ears yelled off by the combined force of Ogawa, Nishinoya and Michimiya for injuring the girl.

"Oi, Kageyama what the he─ bluurgh!" Of course Hinata's lunch would choose that exact moment to make it's reappearance.

"Move, move, move!"

"Get the disinfectant!"

"And the bucket!"

"Hina-chan, aim for the bucket!"

Kageyama watched the entire thing half between annoyance and some kind of foreign fondness that he had never felt before. Until of course he realized it and buried his blushing face in his hands.

_"I swear this girl is going to kill me."_

* * *

"So the three on three is tomorrow, huh?" Hinata murmured as she locked up the gym. Kageyama stood next to her, grudgingly holding her bag, the tall boy was grumbling under his breath, but gave Hinata an exasperated look as if she had personally offended him with the question.

"Of course it is, you idiot," he replied naturally though his brows were twitching. Hinata felt her face flush angrily and turn around to start yelling at Kageyama only to feel her blush turn into a very different kind.

Kageyama was patting her head.

Of course she'd never say it to his face, but it felt  _nice._  She had long since gotten used to Kageyama's harsh words and borderline abusive form of encouragement, so just for this one moment where Kageyama was gentle and kind she felt just the slightest tug of her heartstrings. "You'll do fine. I'll admit you're decent and you've got me on your side, so you've got nothing to worry about."

This must be a joke. It has to be a joke. Kageyama doesn't have a caring bone in his body when it's not volleyball related, though on some level you  _could_  call this volleyball related, somewhat. Must be a prank or some weird training method, yeah that had to be it...

Regardless Hinata's heart still flutters and red still paints over both their cheeks.

And this moment is rapidly growing awkward.

So Hinata takes it upon herself once again to be the mood wrecker.

"You can let go now, you know," she comments lightly, trying to dispel the red from her cheeks. "Honestly this is really creepy. You're so strange Kageyama."

The hand on her head suddenly tightens. Going from comforting to crushing almost as if on reflex.

"Idtio Hinata, you're such an idiot!"

"L-let go K-kageyama I'll go b-bald!" she shrieks trying to pull his hands away from her head, wholly convinced she _will_  go bald.

"Good you and Tanaka-san can match," Kageyama replies, obviously miffed. Finally releasing the small girl's scalp, he shoves her bag towards her hurriedly, mildly relieved that the awkward moment has faded.

"I don't want that! I mean Tanaka-senpai is really cool, but I don't wanna be bald!"Hinata crowed indignantly, throwing her bag over her shoulder without a second thought.

"Then stop being annoying!"

"Then stop staying embarrassing stuff!"

The two lapse back into a friendly banter that they've grown familiar with for the past week and Hinata can't help but marvel at how drastically her life has changed in the past week. A week ago Kageyama was still a murmured legend from the middle school circuit, someone she was aware existed but also on a complete different level than her. Now the two of them got along as if they had known each other their entire lives and though they were rough around the edges they could perform proper spikes, they even their own subtle signals, though the credit for those would have to go to Michimiya.

Sometimes Hinata found herself subconsciously wondering what it would be like if she was on the same team as Kageyama, not just some fill in teammate. It's not that Hinata had any qualms with the girls' volleyball team, it's just they don't have the  _spark_  the members of the boys' team seem to have. Tanaka's fiery determination, Nishinoya's steady need to improve, Kageyama's steely concentration and fierce competitiveness, heck she had even seen it in Tsukishima's bored, but well honed posture and the subtle reassurance in Yamaguchi's expressions. They all had overwhelming potential and a part of her, the one that wasn't wholly grateful to Michimiya craved to be on the same team as them. Made her wonder why she wasn't born a boy in the first place...

"Oi, Hinata you're spacing out." Kageyama snapped breaking the small ginger's reverie. Glancing around she realized that they were standing right in front of the bike rack, hers being the only one left. Sheepishly she began rummaging through her bag for the key to her bike lock, so absorbed in searching through the mess in her bag that she barely caught was Kageyama was saying.

"─ dawn and dusk?"

"I'm sorry what?" An exasperated sigh from Kageyama.

"I said, are your parents really okay with you biking home at dawn and dusk?"

"Of course, they have no problems with it."

"So they don't see anything wrong with you biking at relatively dark hours over a  _mountain_?"

"Yeah."

"Unbelievable, they're just like you."

"Are you insulting my parents?"

"Only if you find yourself insulting."

"You're confusing. You  _do_ know that, Kageyama?"

"What part of that was confusing?"

"Everything." Kageyama gave her a look of annoyance before letting the conversation drop with an annoyed huff. Slowly the approached the fork in the road where'd they have to go in opposite directions.

"Well I'll see you tomorrow then, Kageyama."

"Don't be late."

"Wow that's how you tell a girl goodbye?"

"On what planet are you considered a girl? "

"Fair enough."

"Don't be late tomorrow," Kageyama repeats, his brows pulling together in annoyance at the mere thought of her being late. She watches as Kageyama turns around moving with that subtle swagger and arrogance that must be a product of his junior high days, the slight tugging of her heart strings making itself known.

_"I want to keep this friendship."_

* * *

"Eh? Nee-chan's not going?" Natsu cried, chucking his chopsticks down onto the table with an indignant pout as Shouyou gobbled down her breakfast. Her younger brother's school was having a family event today and the little boy was more than a little upset over the fact she wouldn't be going with them.

"Sorry, Nacchan," she murmured apologetically, tugging on her varsity jacket on as well as picking up her volleyball bag. Pulling her pony tail tighter she moved over to the little boy to plant a kiss on the crown of his head, he glared up at her petulantly, sicking his best bambi eyes at her. On any other day Shouyou would have cracked and done anything he wanted, but the mere thought of Tsukishima's taunts and the horrifying expressions Kageyama was capable of making was enough to cement Shouyou's resolve. "I really have to go to this practice match, Nacchan. I'll try to make it for the after lunch event though, I promise."

"Don't call me Nacchan! You make it sound like I'm a girl!" Natsu whined as easily distracted as his older sister.

"Hai, hai," Shouyou said indulgently, smoothing down the small boy's hair as their father walked into the living room. He was still dressed in his pajamas which had comical nuts and bolts patterns and his eyes were still bleary from sleep. Like his two children, his hair stood up in wild orange curls from sleep, though his was more of a copper color to their sunshine orange, a sign that they had gotten their hair color from their grandparents.

"You're leaving already, Shou-chan?" he asked sleepily, yawning behind his hand. Shouyou in a rare moment of planning decided to take advantage of her father's sleepy state to get going already, before he could ask any questions about who her practice match was with, lest he forbid her to go.

"Yep, see you later, Papa," she told him, planting a sweet kiss on his cheek before turning in the general direction of kitchen.

"Bye, Mama~"

"Make sure to drink plenty of water between sets!"

"I will!"

_"Better get going, Kageyama might just strangle me."_

* * *

"Almost there, almost there," Hinata sang sweetly glancing up at the already bright sky. It sure was refreshing to be able to look at it before practice, usually she arrived so early that it was still dark out. Stopping momentarily she squinted into the distance, recognizing Kageyama's tall figure. He was walking steadily and slowly for that matter, causing Hinata to smirk.

"Ha, he's going to lose," she murmurs to herself giggling. Breaking into a sprint she barreled past Kageyama, reminiscent of their first morning practice together as she shot some random insult behind her. She heard him curse at her, breaking into a sprint himself, but she just poured on the speed, envious of Kageyama's long strides as he steadily gained on her.

They both end up panting on the gym steps.

Tanaka greets them with a slight blush, but a slightly worried, chastising expression.

"What's the point of getting worn out before the match? And what kind of gentlemen curses at a young lady like that?" Tanaka asked them with a skeptical expression and a slight glare at Kageyama before he turns around to enter the gym. "You two should rest up."

"Dammit... That was a draw," Hinata pants, managing to pull herself to her knees. Kageyama manages to sit cross leg style, hunched over an panting as he delivers his retort.

"I will never lose to the likes of you."

"Yeah, yeah," Hinata brushes him off.

"You ready?" she asks, finally managing to stand up. Looking towards Kageyama who meets her gaze. They have got this, this is what they've practice for, all the serves, receives and spikes from that past week have led to this match. "To kick Tsukishima's ass obviously. You and I are going to win today. "

"Of course. Let's get ready." Curt, confident and without a doubt a stereotypical Kageyama answers.

"Good morning, King, chibi," a snide voice greets from behind them. Hinata glances back to send Tsukishima a nasty glare, but with her big eyes and cute features it's about as intimidating as a puppy, making Tsukishima's smirk grow wider. Hinata pictures wiping it off his face completely, preferably with a spike to his stupid face.

_"I'll break through any wall. You'll see."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really late isn't it...? I'm sorry guys the next will be earlier I swear it, but these are all just undergoing editing and being posted here after second editing. If you're interested this story is also up on Fanfiction.net and at the moment has more chapters and I'll admit updates will be going up there before here...


	6. Three on Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let the three-on-three match begin~

"Mou, Kageyama your face looks scary. Don't act so tense you'll make your stretching pointless!" Hinata whined as she continued stretching her arms above her head, skittering back a few steps from the stretching boy, in case he decided to pull her legs out from under her. To her surprise Kageyama continued his stretches on the floor, eyes only flicking up ─an extremely rare occurrence out of context─ at her in annoyance as he made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat.

_"He ignored me!?"_ she screamed internally, wondering if Kageyama has contracted some disease in the past five minutes that turned him into a non-confrontational human being.

"Ah looks like the King's nervous," Tsukishima called from the other side of the gym, his face in another one of his taunting smirks, effectively setting Hinata on edge. She stuck her tongue out at him only mildly annoyed until the next words left Tsukishima's lips. "Must be because of his incompetent teammate," the tall blond continued, garnering the attention of nearly everyone in the gym. There was no questioning who he was talking about, the lack gender was unnecessary, Tanaka had already asserted his usefulness to the entire team. The implication made Hinata's fist curl in fury. Thankfully, before she could pound the taunting blond's face in, Tanaka stepped in wearing another one of his discomforting expressions.

"Oi, Tsukishima! When you lose because you pulled and muscle and died, you can only blame yourself!" the bald second year shouted, pointing out Tsukishima's pause in stretching. The first year in question made a rude, unintelligible sound while his face soured considerably before turning away from Tanaka with a vividly annoyed expression.

"Don't ignore me you─" Tanaka cried, a vein popping on his forehead, but a dark haired boy ─most likely a third year─ cut in with an obviously annoyed expression and a haunting look in his eyes that could rival Kageyama's smile.

"Tanaka, Tsukishima, why don't we all calm down and get back to our warm ups?"

The entire gym was enveloped in silence, many of the occupants too tense to say a word.

Wearily Hinata got back to her stretches, forgetting the earlier tension as she reveled in the familiar feeling of her body humming to life, adrenaline and nerves only seeming to heighten her body's flexibility. Those nerves had a negative affect too, unfortunately. Her stomach churned with the same feeling she had learned to associate with tournaments, public speaking and most academics, making her extremely uncomfortable. So of course it didn't help when a person suddenly spoke behind her.

"Um, excuse me, Hinata-san─" the male murmured unexpectedly. Hinata's breakfast nearly made an appearance right then and there as she tried to find the words for a coherent reply.

"I-I'm s-sorry, d-did I-I-I do something w-wrong? I-I swear I didn't b-burn the fish!" she stuttered nervously, red painting over her features. The people nearest to them paused for a moment, silently pondering what she had just said,  _"I didn't burn the fish..."_  and the male in front of her felt his palms sweat, unsure of how to respond, but he plastered on a smile anyway.

"No need to worry, Hinata-san," he informed her warmly, helpfully managing to bring Hinata out of her stuttering gaze. Wearily she looked over him, trying not to be too obvious about. This boy was a a little shorter than Tanaka, though he appeared much more mature. His silvery grey hair was parted in the middle and there was a beauty mark under his left eye, which grew increasingly distracting as he smiled. Unlike the other members of this team he didn't scream 'intimidating' if anything his aura was so much more calm, refreshing even. "I just wanted to introduce myself formally, my name's Sugawara Koushi, third year and Karasuno's official setter."

At those words Hinata's eyes bugged out, her staring becoming obvious.  _"This guy is official setter? Than means he's probably better than Kageyama! Is that even possible? Holy cow, he must be a gen_ ─"

"You shouldn't let your imagination run off with you, Hinata-san," Sugawara interrupted her sheepishly. "If anything, Kageyama is superior to me in ability."

"And you shouldn't downgrade yourself, Suga," a voice butted in before Hinata could speak. She looked over Sugawara's shoulder to see the dark haired third year that had admonished Tanaka and Tsukishima, he had his hands crossed and an almost teasing smirk on his face. "After all you  _are_ our official setter."

Hinata stared between the two third years, unsure of what to say or do. As kind as Sugawara seemed Hinata was still traumatized by the bone-chilling expression that the other third year had earlier. Meanwhile Sugawara who had noticed the short first year's distress attempted to to ease the tension.

"Ah, this is Sawamura Daichi," he blurted out, gesturing between the two of them with a weary expression. Sawamura who had gotten the gist of what Sugawara was trying to do, decided to try and butt continue in hopes of making it less awkward for his fellow third year and for formalities sake, but Sugawara just plowed on. "He's our captain."

"E-eh you're S-Sawamura!?" Hinata blurted out loudly, much to the two third years' astonishment. Hinata would confess that in the past week the men's volleyball captain had long since faded from her mind, between practice and the sudden, much more difficult curriculum no one could honestly expect Hinata to remember either. Though the mental image Hinata had conjured was completely off; Michimiya had made Sawamura out to be some kind of knight in shining armor, so in turn Hinata had painted the image of of some tall, buff young man with flowing blond hair and horse wearing Karasuno's uniform. It startled her how  _normal_  Sawamura looked. It wasn't as if Sawamura wasn't aesthetically appealing, though. He was built a lot broader than Sugawara and was slightly taller than the other third year, his limbs line with well developed muscle from years of volleyball. Meanwhile his hair was cropped short and went well with his brown eyes which were slightly clouded with confusion.

"Yes, is there something wrong?"

"N-nothing!" Hinata responded brightly, the implications of Michimiya's  _romanticized_ description completely flying over Hinata's volleyball-oriented head. Sugawara and Sawamura looked between themselves in confusion, but let the conversation slide, both of them returning to their respective places to continue their warm ups after informing Hinata to do the same.

Wearily Hinata made her way back over to Kageyama to resume her stretches. The tall boy glanced at her in surprise when she plopped down next to him, but she just sent him a cheeky smile before stretching forward to reach her toes. She couldn't explain it really, but inside this foreign gym, surrounded by tall, intimidating players it was really comforting to be by Kageyama's side. Not that she'd ever tell him that. Just as they were both wrapping up their warm ups, the gym's metal doors screeched open, revealing one Shimizu Kiyoko.

"Good morning," the third year murmured quietly as she entered, tucking a lock of black hair behind her ear. The rest of the members inside the gym called out in greeting except for Tanaka, who barreled toward her, a smattering of compliments leaving his lips. Shimizu merely shrugged him off with a weary sigh.

"Kiyoko-senpai, good morning!" Hinata called as she stood up, making her way over to the beautiful third year. Unlike with Tanaka, the third year smiled kindly to her, nodding her head in familiar greeting. Shimizu often visited the girl's volleyball team to make sure their equipment was doing alright since they didn't have a manager for their own, moments wherein Hinata had gotten to know the quiet young woman to the point they might have been able to call themselves friends.

"You're form looks good today, Hinata," Shimizu told her as she glanced over the younger girl's frame. "Good luck."

"Thank you!" Hinata told her with a bow, making Shimizu hold back a giggle. Around them the first and second years stared, Shimizu had always been so reserved around them with the exception of Sugawara and Sawamura who were often in contact with her, the majority of them were thinking the same thing,  _"this must be what they call girl talk!"_

"All right. Let's get started," Sawamura cried, drawing the attention of the entire gym while he pointed towards Tsukishima with his thumb. "I'll be on Tsukishima's team."

"What? You, Sawamura-san?" Hinata cried, her tone making it obvious on how unfair she found the idea. The implied compliment made slight fondness stir within Sawamura, but he merely brushed if off with a sheepish laugh.

"Don't worry," he told her kindly. "Tanaka's a better attacker than me," making Tanaka look on with a slightly weary, but pleased expression, "though I won't go easy on you, either."

It would have been very encouraging if only Tsukishima hand't opened his mouth.

"Ah.. that little one and Tanaka-san, which shall I crush─ I mean  _block_  first?" Tsukishima started with a light cough meant to garner attention, glancing at the aforementioned two with obviously taunting eyes. Needless to say Hinata and Tanaka focused their attention to supposedly "private" conversation, less than pleased. The tall blond merely continued loudly. "Oh, yes, yes. I'd like to see the King lose, too."

His other team member, Yamasomething, Hinata tried to remember moved forward frantically, obvious on edge as he murmured something lowly to the other first year. Whatever he said, made Tsukishima's expression revert back to its bored one before he replied.

"I'm saying it so they can hear it," another annoying smirk in their direction, before calling out carelessly, "I sure hope they lose their cool."

"Tsukishima, you've got character problems," Sawamura told him lightly, before moving to their side of the court.

"Our special feature is the king who's been abandoned by his underlings," Tsukishima continued regardless, his expression turning even more mocking, making Kageyama tensed up. Hinata bit into the side of her cheek, wholeheartedly agreeing with Sawamura and wondering if she could get away with tackling the blond before Tanaka interrupted her violent thoughts.

"Hey, hey," Tanaka called out to the two of them, his voice ridiculously high-pitched and an exaggerated sway to his hips, meanwhile his hands moved around like a flustered girl. "Did you hear that. My, the things he says. Oh that Tsukishima, I'm going to really─" insert cutesy, tantrum motion.

"Crush him to a pulp," Tanaka ended, fiercely glaring at Tsukishima, a demonic aura steadily emitting itself from his figure. Hinata followed suit, pulling at one of her lower eyelids and sticking out her tongue accordingly with a demonic aura of her own. Kageyama stared at them, looking unsure if they were sane.

_"You'll regret looking down on us, Tsukishima!"_

* * *

"Soooooryah!" Tanaka cried out as he spiked the ball into the court, Hinata watched as the ball hit Tsukishima's arms with a resounding thwack as it ricocheted out of bounds. The sideline weren't keeping quiet either, as the score changed Sugawara and two other second years, kept up a steady commentary of the match.

Hinata had to agree with Sawamura though, after seeing both him and Tanaka attacked, it was blatantly obvious which of the two had more power as a spiker, but Sawamura seemed to have better form. The idea was bugging her though, if Sawamura wasn't the best spiker then, what besides his commanding aura made him suitable of being captain? The idea plagued her, the obvious choice would be to ask Tanaka right?

"Eto, Tanaka-san─?" she began, but felt her face flush bright red, burying her head in her hands, all questions flying out of her mind, except for Tanaka to put his shirt back on. The bald second year, was currently swinging his shirt above his head in unrestrained glee, something Sugawara and the others didn't fail to comment on.

"Tanaka, shut up!"

"Showboating!"

"Don't take your shirt off! You're traumatizing the freshmen!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have razzed Tanaka," she heard Sawamura say teasingly, obviously to Tsukishima. She also had no trouble guessing the annoyed face Tsukishima was making.

"Hinata, you idiot! Get a hold of yourself!" She heard Kageyama yell, making his way towards her, but she refused to lift her head off her arms. "Of for the love of─ he put his shirt on."

Hinata raised her head slightly only to be met with the image of Tanaka still shirtless, but wearing an embarrassed expression. Burying her head back in her arms.

"Kageyama, you liar! Go die!"

_"Your toss better be pinpoint accurate or I'll put you in the ground!"_

* * *

She glanced excitedly as Tanaka received the ball, sending it over to Kageyama with relative ease who was already in position.

_"Me, too... Me,too..."_  she thought giddily, running forward a smile already slipping onto her face as Kageyama called out her name, sending the ball high into the air in a familiar arc.  _"I get a toss, too. This is my first spike for a high school match!"_

A perfect jump, that sent her arms high above the net and was enough to draw a gasp from the spectators. A familiar form, perfected from the last week of rigorous training and ingrained into her from over three years of repetition. The comforting smack of the ball against her palm, reassuring as always.

_"I'll score."_

Only to have the ball fall onto their side of the court. She opens her eyes wide only to be met with the sight of a nonchalant Tsukishima, the shock nearly making her knees go out from under her as she lands on unsteady feet.

_"And yet again, even here..."_ The roar of the stadium, another point for the other team, endless rallies, the ball landing on their side of the court once more, pressure to get them through because she's the  _ace_ , blocked over and over, a consecutive stream of points for their opponent.  _"There's a high, high wall."_

"You surprised me the other day, too. You sure can jump," Tsukishima tells her condescendingly, smiling at her like an adult would while humoring a child. Giving off one parting jab that makes Hinata's eye twitch in irritation. "If only you were 50 centimeters taller, you could've been a superstar."

_"So what if he's tall! He's only one opponent!"_

"Oi, Kageyama! Give me another toss," she calls, feeling her limbs clench in fury and embarrassment. "I'll definitely score!"

_"Volleyball isn't so simple that it depends on height alone!"_

* * *

"Blocked again."

"How many is that now?"

"Tanaka is scoring consistently, though."

_"Dammit,"_ Hinata screamed internally, watching the ball roll listlessly across the floor, blocked once again. She had lost so many points for them, it wasn't funny at all, never had been.  _"I haven't been making any progress at all!"_ In the background, she hears everyone shooting off praise for Tsukishima, only making her clench her fist tighter. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Kageyama assessing the glass-wearing first year, growing even wearier the more he understands, of course Tsukishima would take it upon himself to comment.

"Hey, there. She's constantly getting blocked. You should do the King's Toss." he says, mock encouragement dripping from his lips and a teasing smile. "The toss that decimates his enemies," a meaningful glance in her direction, "and decimates his teammates, as well."

"Shut, up," Kageyama murmurs, barely audible. He doesn't even bother glancing at Tsukishima as he moves back into position, Hinata has to wonder how he can keep his cool after being taunted so directly.

The game resumes its pace, Yamaguchi serving this time and to distract herself from the obvious disappointment of not being able to freely spike, she contemplates where Sawamura's talents might lay, already sure that Yamaguchi's serve won't make it through, he's too non-committed, he won't be as upset by a missed serve as their team would be at this point. It makes him predictable, Sawamura on the other hand...

_"Sawamura doesn't seem to particularly excel at serving either,"_ she thinks glumly.  _"Nor is he tall enough to say he specializes in blocking, he's not a setter either..."_

The answer strikes her as Yamaguchi's serve hits the net.

She makes her way over to Kageyama, registering Yamaguchi's apology and Sawamura's encouragement in the background. She manages to catch a hold of the raven haired boy's sleeve as he picks up the nearest volleyball preparing to serve, looking none-too-happy as he glares down at her.

"What is it?" he asks bitterly, obviously on edge due to the growing point spread.

"Make your serve as difficult to receive as you can," she murmurs low, not wanting the other side as she glances meaningfully at Sawamura. "I have a feeling Sawamura-san excels at receiving, you won't be able to rack up points if you're not careful."

"Well then, let's see how wide his receiving range is, shall we?" Kageyama replies, a smirk pulling at his lips as he makes his way over to the back of the court to serve.

"Go, Killer Serve!" Hinata cried as Kageyama bounces the ball several times, completely calm. His serve is no less powerful now as it was then, the same sleek form she's come to respect after countless of attempts to recreate it and failing miserably. A deadly force on the court in terms of power, it literally looked like it could take a person's arms off as it hurtles over the net, to slam down on the court.

Except it was  _out_.

Two cries of alarm went up on Kageyama's side of the court as both Hinata and Tanaka turned to him looking hysterical. Tanaka with anger, after all of Kageyama's talk and arrogance to think his serve would be out of all things. What happened did he get overexcited? Tanaka didn't really have a good look at the ball since he was too focused on receiving the incoming spike, he didn't even consider that they wouldn't even get that for. Hinata's hysteria was out of fear, there had been no exaggeration on the description of the serve, it would take a frail person's arms right off, probably along with their rib cage, heck it was practically a  _spike_. New found fear for Kageyama bloomed in her chest.

"I-I t-told you to m-make it d-difficult to receive!" she shrieked, turning towards Kageyama who was still too stunned by what had just happened to react. Her words were barely intelligible through her hysterics and stutter. "Not to a-actively try t-to r-r-remove Sawamura-san's arms!"

"Oi, Kageyama how did you know to avoid aiming for me?" Sawamura called, looking highly amused by what was going on. "Of course it's still out, though I'm curious how you were able to guess."

"Y-yeah!" Tanaka butted in, turning toward Kageyama who in turned glanced at Hinata. "Daichi-san's weapon is his solid receive! Tsukishima's team technically has superior defense!"

"Well?" Kageyama called loudly to the short first year, who shrank under the weight of the eyes on her, her stomach churning once more, something that had never happened  _during_  a match before. She had always been rather confident on the court, except for that first match of hers, that had been a disaster.

"I guessed," she murmured, messing with the end of her pony tail in hopes of distracting herself. "Sawamura-san earned the title of captain for some kind of talent on the court, it can't just be because of his charisma. He didn't seem to be some sort of genius at serving, blocking, setting or spiking so that left the most important fundamental of volleyball; receiving."

The entire fell silent, until Sawamura broke it with laugh.

"I guess you thought you'd get a few points with that strong serve of yours, huh?" he said between chuckles, before he smiled encouragingly, not mockingly like Tsukishima did, but genuinely, in a manner that just screamed 'senpai'. "It's a shame you're still working on control. That serve would be a real force to reckon with." Despite that Daichi's eyes still sharpened, gazing at them with all the confidence of a captain.

"I don't have outstanding talent, but I've been doing this a couple years longer than you. My receive is well integrated into my body," a small smirk pulled at the corners of Sawamura's mouth as he got back into position to receive. "Don't think you can get past me that easily."

"A-awesome," Hinata couldn't help but murmur, feeling the 'captain' aura radiating off him in full force.

_"What a dependable Captain..."_

* * *

Kageyama clenched his teeth when Tsukishima decided to call him out. He  _was_ serious, his pride as a setter  _depended_  on this match, but there wasn't a chance in hell that  _that_ toss would be what brought them to it. He had learned a long time ago that setting at his own pace would get his team nowhere. Spikers like Tanaka and Hinata were good, but neither of them were on his level, that toss would only hinder them.

"What's your problem?" Hinata cut in fiercely, brown eyes blazing with wild anger. Kageyama was more than a little relieved that she had spoken up, there were to many emotions mixing and jumbling around in his head right now. Determination to win this match, anger at being helpless to fight back, fear that he would repeat last year's mistakes, that his selfishness wood lead to him being benched or worse their loss, and regret, so much regret. Over his tyranny during his junior high days, the little effort he had put into actually becoming an actual member of the team. If he tried to express it now, it'd come out all wrong and he'd be left with even bigger regrets. "You haven't stopped getting in our faces since the other day."

"Do you even know what the 'King's Toss' is?" Tsukishima asked her mockingly. "Do you, his so called teammate know why he's called 'King of the Court'?"

_"Damn you, Tsukishima!_ " So Kageyama might have neglected to tell Hinata about how he got his title, he'd left her to assume what she wished. There was no reason for him to unload his burden on her, someone like Hinata who bubbled about her old teammates and juniors obviously couldn't understand the isolation he felt amongst his own.

"Of course I do," she responded easily. "I saw that final match."

Kageyama felt a boulder of ice crash into his stomach. She had  _seen_? And she still treated him like she did now? She still allowed him to toss to her, knowing his mood could go sour at the drop of the hat? She had seen him be down right  _awful_ , to his teammates, get benched of all things and she was still able to trust him on the court? No one had that kind of resolve, no one.

"Then you understand right?" Tsukishima asked, seemingly fascinated by the sudden turn of events, smirking like a cat that had just caught a canary. "You understand that he's the self-centered king, the oppressive dictator. That match proved it all."

That's right, that's what he was.

"He doesn't set up quick hits, anymore," Tsukishima continued, seemingly basking in all the attention he was getting by ripping off all Kageyama's pompous layers and laying him out for the entire team to see. "Perhaps it's because he's lost his nerve from that match?"

Yes, that was it, yes that was the reason Kageyama refused to do quicks. He wanted high school to go  _right_ , those kinds of tosses would just alienate him again and the he'd get  _benched_.

"He made a toss, but no one jumped─"

_"Enough,"_ Kageyama yelled at himself.  _"If I'm going to have my demons tossed out into the open I might as well do it myself."_

It was always pride with him wasn't it?

"You are right," he finally admitted out loud, practically forcing the words out. "I made a toss, and no one was there. It's truly frightening."

There he said it.

"But that was in junior high, right?" Hinata voice cut in through the tension. Everyone's gazes turned back to her and the almost confused expression on her face. "You toss to me just fine, so it makes no difference to me. After all we've all down some stupid things in the past."

Kageyama felt his throat tighten with unexpected emotion. It wasn't something that easy to forgive, it didn't matter that it hand't happened to her, she still saw how he had acted, yet here she was taking all the grief that had tangled around him for the last few months. The regrets and words that had haunted him every time he tried to toss a volleyball and was snipping away at them, absolving him of all his sins without a second thought.

"My real problem is how I'm going to get past you!" Hinata cried, pointing at Tsukishima rather childishly, sending Tanaka and Sawamura into a fit of chuckles. She wasn't done yet though, seemingly empowered by her own speech she marched straight up to Kageyama, gesturing to Tsukishima vaguely behind her. "We'll win against Tsukishima, you'll become an official club member, and you will bravely play setter."

"Hah?" Kageyama demanded loudly, taken aback by her word choice. "Bravely─?"

"Yes bravely!" Hinata responded instantly, stomping her foot childishly for emphasis. "I refuse to have a coward toss to me, not matter how rarely it'll happen after the volleyball season picks up! What else is there?"

"How pure and straightforward... and irritating," he heard Tsukishima murmur on the other side of the net. The words made Kageyama irrationally angry, but he didn't bite back at Tsukishima in case he offended the girl in front of him.

"Are we clear, Kageyama?" Hinata cut in, visibly annoyed by his hesitation.

Wasn't the answer already obvious?

_"This girl really doesn't follow expectations at all, does she?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's so late? Hehehehe...


	7. Quicks and Trust

Hinata's eyes trailed after Tsukishima was he prepared to serve, having no trouble guessing what he was saying despite his distance. The blond had made it more than obvious what he thought of her as a spiker, with her height and attitude it really wasn't that difficult to conclude that he thought she was just psyching herself to no avail. After all from an outer perspective it didn't matter how much athletic ability she had, it would never make up for the height she would never attain.

_"You're wrong,"_ she desperately wanted to tell him, wanted to shove a few choice magazine clippings in his face and make him acknowledge that a girl her height could put up a fight in an actual tournament,  _"I can fight with with this body too."_

Tsukishima's serve clears the net without a hitch and Tanaka receives it with surprising poise.

"Toss it to me!" she cries and she knows there's almost no pointing in doing so, no matter how much inspiration Kageyama might have drawn from her previous reassurance it's obvious he still thinks she can't handle Tsukishima on her own.

Screw it, it doesn't matter at this point!

Without any indication from Kageyama she begins her run-up towards the net, not even bothering to call out to him before her feet have already left the ground. She's hyper-aware of his inner conflict as he deftly moves beneath the ball's dropping point, he's not going to toss to her without incentive, well she'll just have to rely on his instincts instead won't she?

"Tanaka-san─"

"Kageyama!"

His gaze lands on her for only a split-second, but it's enough.

"I'm here!"

His gaze locks on her instinctively, drawn to her movement and guided by the sound of her voice and his body follows accordingly. His footing changes, making it easier for him to send a toss to her directly and she gives a rather unladylike grunt as she feels the heft of the ball on her palm.

"Whoops that was a bit too much," she murmurs sheepishly, inwardly cringing as the ball just barely misses the corner of the court, on the outer side much to her dismay. With a noticeable cringe as she lands, she watches as Sawamura's body collides with the floor, just barely stopping himself from touching the ball. "It's out..."

"What was that for?" Kageyama demands loudly, looking harried and frazzled as Tsukishima snickers in the background, obviously trying to mask shock.

"But the ball came to me," she cries, beating down the blush spreading on her cheeks and forcing the confidence she usually has during matches out into the open. Kageyama stares in shock at her loud proclamation, but she plows on anyway, and thinks that maybe just maybe what's she's saying it for her own sake too. "Forget about junior high. I'll take any toss I can get. Gratefully!"

"I'll jump anywhere," she tells him, cringing at the eyes that are all specifically focused on her now that she's chosen to create a scene. Inwardly, a small, cynical part of her is laughing at the irony because two months ago she couldn't even manage to choke these very same words out when they were demanded of her, but now here she is spilling them out like the awkward, hormonal, teenage girl, which she is. "I'll hit any ball. So please, toss it to me!"

A beat of silence within the entire gym.

"Oi, you two know how to do quicks?" Tanaka demands loudly and abruptly, breaking the tense silence as if it's nothing. He storms towards her and Kageyama, his hands twitching with shock and the volume of his emotions.

"Not at all," Hinata decides, abruptly changing the course of her emotions like only a girl can as she glances between herself and Kageyama questioningly. "Or at least not together, I've done a couple in junior high, though."

"But you just did it," Tanaka says looking bewildered, using his hands for emphasis. Hinata furrows her eyebrows trying to comprehend what he's getting at before tilting her head to the side in confusion.

"Yeah, I guess. But it was purely instinctive," she tells him confused, before tucking her fist beneath her chin trying to think how she managed to do a quick with Kageyama in the first place, her mind flashing back to how she had brazenly started her run-up without thinking. Tanaka makes a slightly dejected sound and Hinata finds herself jumping to assure him out of habit. "But I'll spike any toss," wait she should assure Kageyama too shouldn't she? She turns towards the ill-tempered setter, an unconsciously fierce look making it into her eyes that nearly makes him take a step back, and causes tension to thrum in his veins, "I'll spike it, understood?"

"We've never gotten coordinated, a fast attack is impossible," he murmurs looking almost  _dejected_ of all things. That would've have been enough to make most others drop the topic since the King of the Court  _does not get dejected_ , but Hinata wouldn't have been one of them, in fact she would've grabbed him by his collar and smacked some sense into him. Now if only she wasn't reeling over the fact that Kageyama actually knew what the word impossible meant.

_"Did he just say 'impossible?'"_  she screamed inwardly, feeling as is someone had struck her with a proverbial lightning bolt.  _'Since when does this guy know the meaning of the world 'impossible?' It makes no sense at all!"_

"There's something really weird about you!" she cried, pointing a finger at him accusingly. "Your weakness is giving me the creeps! Weird!"

"Shut up," he murmured, a familiar pissed off expression unfurling on his face as he stalked away. Hinata watched him go with her cheeks puffed in annoyance and arms crossed pensively.

"That's not like you, king," Tsukishima called after him, his tone light and teasing as if some serious business hadn't just gone down. Hinata looked up, not as if she could look any other way really, at the aloof blond with a glare, wondering just  _why_ he had to go and try and piss everyone off and beat down their morale.

"I'll spike it past you, wait and see!" she told him, trying to stay as calm as he was at the moment even though her voice came out on the shrill side and her fingers had long since curled into fist.

"There you go again, getting all psyched up," he told her, glancing down with a look of sarcastic pity. She felt a vein pop on her forehead as he continued, nearly biting off her tongue as she held back a scathing remark. "Just getting psyched up isn't going to make things right. Some people aren't cut out for certain things."

Hinata froze already able to go guess what he was going to say. She wanted to stop him, didn't want to hear the words that had plagued her during her first and second year of junior high, but she couldn't get her mouth to move. She was already bracing herself for the blow to her ego.

"Clearly, you're not cut out to be a spiker."

Dully she registered Tanaka getting ready to hit Tsukishima, and Sawamura grabbing his wrist with a look of long suffering before he pulled him back, she might have even laughed at the expression on their faces, but it seemed to be happening in another universe all together. All she could hear was the static in her ears, snippets of discouragement that she thought she'd long since put behind her finally floating to the surface of her thoughts after so long.

_"Maybe another position would be better."_

_"I say she's in the wrong sport all together."_

_"Maybe you could try playing as a libero, Hina-chan?"_

_"You can barely clear the net as it is."_

**_"Isn't it about time for you to give up?"_ **

"But I didn't bow out," she murmurs quietly to herself, steeling her nerves as she glanced up at him, eyes defiant.

"It's true," she concedes proudly meeting Tsukishima's gaze, "back then I would jump and jump, but I kept getting blocked." She remembers her first match, the overwhelming height that the other girls had had on her, and flinches when she remembers the acidic jealousy that had mixed in the pit of her stomach along with her nerves. "Height is needed for volleyball, not matter how high I jump, I can't get past their overwhelming height, but..."

_"That was an amazing spike, Shouyou!_ _"_

_"I can't believe it..."_

_"Her jumps are amazing..."_

_"No worries Shou-chan, I'll keep sending that tosses to you."_

_"Hinata-senpai another round of spikes please!"_

**_"We're in you care from now on, ace-san~"_ **

"I learned how to battle with this body, with all my handicaps, just like he did!" she tells Tsukishima earnestly, putting a hand to her heart. Who would've guessed it? That it would be this rude, rude boy who got her to finally,  _finally_ state her claim as a spiker. "So I don't care if I'm cut out for it or not. I'm going to continue fighting with this body, win and win, and be on the court as long as I can."

_"No, I never want to be defeated like that ever again._

* * *

"But you don't have what it takes in the long run, it isn't a matter of psychology," Tsukishima deadpanned, giving Hinata a look that questioned her intelligence, and set Kageyama's teeth on edge as the tall blond disregarded everything she had said up til then to dish out the facts. "Sure you may have been some hot topic junior high, but this is high school. Other players are going to start matching your skill level, most girls that go into volleyball as spikers and blockers will definitely surpass you in height, and you can't make up for it with  _feelings_  of all thing. If you could play libero, that would be a different matter."

Kageyama watched helpless as Tsukishima continued his derogatory speech, and silently marveled at how her expression stayed in the same stubborn scowl as the tall boy hurtled insult after insult. This was starting to get out of hand, why weren't the older club members doing something? Why were they just letting this bastard rip apart this girl's aspirations like they were nother at all? And who gave him the right to do it in the first place?

Tsukishima wasn't the one who had just spent the entire week on a nearly suicidal self-made, training regime with her, and he definitely hadn't been the one who had been forced to discreetly puke in a couple bushes far away from gym five because he didn't want his smaller, female, and definitely  _not_ more athletic training partner to find out about it. So really Tsukishima had no right to go judging her, especially after that bout of maturity that she had just displayed.

_"Toss to me! Bring it on!"_

Damn it, it was his turn to support her wasn't it?

"To break the wall in front of the spiker," he started calmly, addressing the two glaring at each other from both sides of the net, causing him to turn abruptly in his direction. Back straight, eyes boring forward and head held high he made his way forward, causing the small girl's eyes to widen drastically as he planted himself beside her purposefully. "That's the setter's job."

The entire gym started at his proclamation, their eyes widening as if they couldn't comprehend that he had just been the one to say all that, even Tsukishima didn't have a biting comeback for that. Unperturbed by their stares, he grabbed Hinata roughly by her shirt, dragging her unceremoniously towards the back of the court.

"Wh-What, Kageyama!?" she shrieked trying to pry herself away, but his hands stayed firm, using full forced as he pulled her back. Despite her resistance, Hinata's short stature and petite figure did very little deter the boy's full strength, especially since he was dragging her full force. "Ouch, let go. Let me go!"

"Oi, K-Kageyama you don't manhandle girls like that!" Tanaka called angrily behind them. Sharing a quick glance with a stunned looking Sawamura, the bald second year made his way over to them, frazzled by the turn of events. "Calm down, Kageyama!"

"What's the big idea─" she started to demand loudly, only to have him place a heavy hand on her head, immediately silencing her. Meanwhile Tanaka was standing in the background looking quite done with them.

"Listen," Kageyama told her urgently, pointing a finger for emphasis. "If you can't spike it, avoid it. Use very ounce of physical ability you have. Use your reflexes and spike my toss."

"Huh? That's how you explain a fast attack?" Tanaka demanded loudly, looking incredulous.

"I know what a fast attack is," she told him, puffing out her cheeks indignantly, but nodded her head all them. "Understood."

"Liar! You can't possible have a grip on the concept if you've never practiced with him before!" Tanaka cried, comically gesturing to the two of them. The idiocy of his stance completely overriding the, rarely seen, sense in his words.

"We'll do it anyway," the cried determinedly, looking back him with undeniably stupid looking defiant faces, or that's what Kageyama would wager they looked like at the very least.

"What's gotten int you all of a sudden?" Tanaka asked suddenly, eyes zeroing in on Kageyama's own unhinged expression. The second year's eyes were narrowed skeptically, as he pointed accusingly at Kageyama, closing the space between them. "You were sniveling like an introverted brat."

"I'm not introverted," Kageyama replied completely calm.

"Liar!" Tanaka cried at the very same moment Hinata burst into a fit of giggles, both boys turned to her questioningly as she held up a peace sign with her fingers.

"S-Strike t-two," she managed to get out in between giggles, waving her two fingers insistently; making it obvious she meant the number. Finally she managed to stifle her giggles, glancing at Kageyama with mirth dancing in her eyes. "T-That's strike two, Kageyama. Ruka-senpai called you introverted too, remember?"

"Hinata you idiot!" he cried loudly, for once passing up the opportunity to shake her as he made his was to his respective place on the court.

_"The three of us make a surprisingly good team."_

* * *

"I don't know how to time it at all," she nearly sobbed, flopping forward uselessly. That toss was way too  _freaking fast_ , she'd never truly struggled to hit a fast toss before, which was quite a feat since she had worked with her fair share of setters, but this one was proving to be in a league of its own. She was barely managing to hit a proper spike from it, averaging at about three times out of ten, but when she failed or she failed spectacularly. For the love of  _tamago kake gohan_  she had gotten herself stuck in the net that one time, and it had barely budged under her weight! How was that even physically possible?

"You've gotten is a couple times already, shouldn't you be able to copy it from that, after all the motions is basically like 'pah,' like 'gwah,'" Kageyama told her angrily, his fingers twitching as he tried to demonstrate, but Hinata was too caught up in his choice of words to really try and comprehend his overall meaning.

"The motions 'pah' and 'gwah' are completely different, which is it?" she demanded, getting just as fired up as she threw her hands up in the air in irritation, before bringing them back down as she bared her teeth at the fuming male. "Sort out your verbs before you correct me!"

"Are you sure you understand at all?" Tanaka butted it, finally getting exasperated with the exchange. Neither of the two answered, deciding to glare at each other angrily instead.

"Kageyama," Sugawara finally cut in, picking up a volleyball that was listlessly rolling on the court as he approached them. His usually soft features were set into an almost chastising expression as he talked directly to the other setter. "You're repeating what you did in junior high."

Stunned the two first years turned to him simultaneously, neither really getting what the third year setter meant.

"Um, well..." Sugawara tried to explain before trailing off awkwardly, allowing Kageyama to speak.

"Hinata has the reflexes, speed and jumping power," he said, pointing awkwardly towards her, the compliment immediately perking her up as she leaned forward to focus on the tall boy. "If she gets used to it, she can do fast attacks."

"And she is getting used to it, but Hinata's weapon, which is her speed," Sugawara started once more, taking a step forward for emphasis, "your toss is killing it, don't you think?"

Kageyama immediately straightened at that, and Hinata would have snickered at the sudden attentiveness that thrummed off him if it weren't for Sugawara's words capturing her own attention too.

"Hinata's not used to your setting pace, and her ability isn't as keenly developed as you own," Sugawara stated calmly, obviously not meaning to offend the small ginger, though the implications of his statement still made her hang her head solemnly. "But the potential she can contribute to your partnership is tops."

"Wh-What? Don't call me a genius or anything. That's an exaggeration," she said, ecstatic and flustered all at once as she halfheartedly tried to block out his would-be praise, turning away and rubbing her head sheepishly. Tanaka really didn't want to burst her bubble, especially with her adorable dimples showing, but couldn't see a good outcome if you inflated her head unnecessarily, so he decided to cut in.

"He never said that," he tried to correct, but couldn't find it in himself to repeat it when Hinata looked up at him with red dusting over her cheeks, so he decided to shut his mouth before he made it any worse.

"If you can do it," Sugawara continued, drawing her attention back to him as he struggled to find the words to explain it to Kageyama, twiddling his fingers in an attempt find the right terms. "You need to sync with Hinata's style, or her talent, or... Um..."

"Suga-san, fight!" Tanaka encouraged from the sidelines.

"You know, use them to your advantage!" he said finally managing to strike a chord within Kageyama. Hinata watched as he straightened, obviously pondering that piece of advice. To her surprise, Sugawara continued to speak, his tone becoming somewhat distant. "I'm a setter like you. I watched that match last year, and was intimidated. By your extraordinary talent, your ball control, and most of all..." Sugawara's gaze grew contemplative as his eyes soften, looking at something in his memories that they couldn't even fathom. "By your ability to calmly detect your opponent's movements, and your power to make quick decisions. I don't have any of those things."

"That's not true, Suga-san─!" Tanaka tried to interject, but Sawamura cut him off with a surprisingly soft-spoken warning.

"Tanaka. Listen to what he has to say.'

"You have technique. You have overwhelming drive to win," Sugawara continued, holding up the volleyball in Kageyama's direction in emphasis for his following words, "and you have an extraordinary awareness of your surroundings. So there's no way you can't see what your teammate is doing." To wrap up his speech, he tossed the ball into Kageyama's hands with an almost angry expression, the tell first year got caught the ball with a stunned look. Confused Hinata looked between the two of them, her brows furrowing at Kageyama's suddenly stricken express, so it made her straighten in fear as he turned to her abruptly. When Kageyama didn't speak a word she glanced back at Tanaka unsure if she needed to do something or not, only to have him shrug his shoulders with a perplexed expression.

"I," Kageyama started boldly, causing Hinata to jump and glance back at him wearily. He turned to her fully, his expression determined as he proudly proclaimed, "I envy your athletic reflexes."

"Huh?" she demanded not sure where any of this was coming from.

"But you don't use it to your full potential, and that infuriates me," he continued, looking away from her as if it emphasis is annoyance. Hinata let out another squawk of surprise, but Kageyama cut off her incoming question by pointing a finger right in her face and plowing on. "So I'm going to use all of your abilities."

"What?" Tanaka asked, perplexed in the background.

"That sounds kind of... weird," Yamaguchi murmured and a thin dusting of pink was spreading on his cheeks at the possible implication of that line, causing Tsukishima to bop him on the head gently, though there was a ticked off expression on the blond's face.

"Use your highest speed and your highest jump. I'll bring the ball to you," Kageyama told her seriously.

"Bring the ball...?" she murmured not quite following his line of thought. "What do you mean by that exactly?"

"Go to where there's no block at you max speed, and jump. Then spike with all you strength," Kageyama instructed her, still pointing directly at her. Hinata opened her mouth to ask question, but her cut her off almost immediately, "You don't have to watch my toss. You don't even have to sync with the ball."

"What?" she demanded, taken back by his unwavering, serious expression. How he could he say something like that after Sugawara had just clarified she  _wasn't_ a superhuman volleyball prodigy like him. "But if I don't watch the ball, I'll spike at air."

"Maybe so," he replied easily.

"Don't be so nonchalant about it!" she shrieked, registering in the background how Tsukishima commented that it was a wonder that she even knew a word like that. Resisting the urge to glare at the annoying,, glasses-wearing jerk she decided to focus her glare on Kageyama.

"But I want to try this," he continued after some thought, and something about his expression made Hinata freeze and reconsider, the determination in his voice being highly persuasive.

"All right," she concedes lightly with a slight nod.

"What's he going to try now?" Tsukishima asks tauntingly. "No one can spike the king's egocentric toss."

"No kidding," Yamaguchi concurs, taking on the same mocking aura as Tsukishima. Belatedly Hinata wonders if Yamaguchi is really like that or if she can pit it on Tsukishima's bad attitude rubbing off.

_"I really hope this works."_

* * *

Kageyama disregards the rest of the conversation as he closes his eyes, willing all of his focus to the game. He forgets about all the skeptical stares focused on his person and the commentary of players on the sidelines fade into the shadows, and he brings everything on the court into razor focus, letting out a restrained breath as he opens his eyes which remain narrowed with concentration.

_"Watch,_ " he commands inwardly himself, allowing his eyes to flicker to the ball and the players on his side of court as Sawamura's serve goes up.  _"Watch."_

_"Where are the blockers?"_

_"Where's the ball?"_

_"Where's the spiker?"_

_"How will they move? Where will they jump?"_

_"How high can she jump?"_

_"Now_ ," he cries internally, the words nearly making there way out of his mouth in turn as he steps forward, directly under the ball.  _"This position. This timing, this angle."_

Almost without his conscious consent the toss flies from his fingers with startling speed, flying directly into the range of Hinata's incoming spike. The blockers don't have time to react, the receivers can barely even move, heck  _he_  doesn't have time to drop his arms before the ball hits the court with all the psychological impact of a nuclear bomb.

"Good," Kageyama cries, making a fist of victory as he lands and Hinata freezes for the moment, watching the ball roll listlessly off the court before finally finding her voice.

"My hand," she murmurs, looking stunned as she stares at her hand with fervent fascination, before finally crying out ecstatically and drawing the attention of the entire court to her. "It hit my hand!"

"She's so over the top," Tsukishima murmurs blandly, but Kageyama is too stunned that it actually worked to even correct him.

"Oi," Sawamura's voice cuts in, the attention of everyone in the gym shifts once again, this time on their captain who's eyes seem to be permanently wide with shock as he chokes his words out. "Hinata's eyes were close just then."

"What?" is the simultaneously cry that goes up, jaws dropping in unison as they all turn to stare the short ginger who is still too lost in her euphoria to be bothered with them.

"Um.. what?" Tsukishima asks stunned, and Kageyama wants to ask the same, but Sawamura is already explaining.

"From the moment she jumped up until she spiked, Hinata had her eyes closed," Sawamura told them, his stunned expression never slackening as he continued with his explanation. "That means that Kageyama tossed it directly into Hinata's palm, when she wasn't even looking. He synced the toss to the moment she'd swing, with total accuracy."

"Hah?" Tsukishima murmured, leaning forward incredulously. Meanwhile Hinata was still riding out her high.

"Awesome! That was so awesome!" she cried, the euphoria not fading just yet as she held out her open palm to Kageyama, pink flushing over her cheeks. "Hey, what was that? Seriously I've never had a toss like that before! It hit my hand. Right then. Hey."

"Y-You!" Kageyama cried, finally breaking through his daze to point at her accusingly, effectively cutting off her happy rant. "Why did you have you eyes closed?"

"You told me not to watch the ball," she told him defensively, her smile fading as her hackles rose. Kageyama felt his shock seeping into his expression and she continued to try and clarify, stunning him with the sheer flexibility her instincts and trust seemed to have. "When my eyes are open, I can't help but watch the ball."

"I said that, but..." he trailed off, not entirely sure how to explain how otherworldly what she had done was. Hinata merely tilted her head in confusion, unsure what he was getting so worked up over.

"It worked though, right?" she asked him brightly. "What's wrong with that?"

The entire gym was watching the exchange with slack jaws.

"Sure, but who trusts anyone one hundred percent?" he demanded, not sure how he should react to such a bid of trust. No one had ever jumped with complete trust in him before, and he was sure very few setter could claim otherwise so this was just plain mind boggling. As expected from the girl who just couldn't follow expectation at all.

"Well, I have not choice but to trust you right now," she responded forcefully, as if no other solution could possibly make sense. The implication caught him off guard, her off all people, the girl he had insulted at every corner for the past week was acting as if trusting him were as natural as breathing.

For a moment he stared at her not really sure if he was hearing right at all.

_"Her spring and mobility,"_ he thought quietly to himself, watching with only mild concern as Tanaka began praising her, looking as if he was barely restraining himself from rubbing her head which in turn caused the small girl to stutter and blush, an excited smile unfolding on her lips. A natural smile tugged at his own lips at the sight, only encouraged by his current train of thought.  _"I can enhance them with my toss."_

"All right. If Hinata's spike scores, the marks will even out," he aimed the comment at Tanaka and Hinata as he approached, the both of them looking up at him in mild shock as he spoke, which did very little to deter the dark haired setter. "Which makes it easier for Tanaka-san to spike too."

"All right!" the two admittedly simpleminded players replies in unison at his statement.

"I don't have any faith in us whatsoever," Kageyama continued dutifully, causing the two of them to deflate visibly. Ignoring that he focused his eyes on Hinata, trying to convey what a big deal this was. "But I'll keep bringing the ball to you. Just trust me, and jump."

Hinata's nod was all he needed to know they had was it would take to make it through this match with a win.

_"It's just a matter of trying isn't it?"_

* * *

"Gyah," she cried out in shock as the ball hit her squarely on the cheek  _again_. Kageyama's tosses were  _forceful_ dammit, not to mention when they weren't accurate at hell they seemed to aim at her face by default. The throbbing pain originating from her the right side of her face helped mask the familiar ache of her back from her fall, and effectively dulled her senses since her mind was too occupied with the insistent pulses of pain. She didn't even both to acknowledge Kageyama's halfhearted apology.

Belated she realized that Ennoshita had made his way over to her and was offering a hand to help her up, one that she took gratefully since Tanaka seemed to scared to try and approach her, too busy panicking over her rapidly swelling cheek, and Kageyama who just seemed to off in his own little world. Clutching at her cheek she gratefully took the cleaning cloth Ennoshita offered, using it to wipe the place where she had fallen. She didn't really notice Shimizu approaching her til she had already squatted down at her level on the floor.

"Are you okay?" she asked kindly, Hinata nodded enthusiastically, hopefully keeping everyone's worry at bay. Coincidentally she glanced at Kageyama in that moment, at least hoping to see him with with a stricken and guilty expression, but was taken aback by the almost smile that had lit up his face. Anger was the unquestionably proper choice for that situation.

"What are you smiling at?" she demanded loudly, still clutching at her injured cheek as a vein pulsed on her forehead. "That's the second time it hit my face."

Deciding that that was enough theatrics for today, she decided to return the cloth to Ennoshita who took it with a reassuring nod when she apologized for disturbing, gradually registering that Shimizu had gone back to her place behind the referee. Unsure of what else to do since they couldn't continue the game just yet, seeing as Tsukishima and Sawamura were still mildly involved in a conversation she decided to round on Kageyama.

"Did you do that on purpose?" she asked him, her words coming out garbled do to the swelling. Was sarcasm that way t go with this or would he hit her? Well too late now she guessed. "Don't you know we have to win?"

"Of course I know that, dolt," he told her, storming away like the tsundere he was, causing her to narrow her eyes after him just a bit. Only to be pulled back by the insistent pain emanating from her cheek.

"We can't keep repeating this," she murmured wearily, trying to rub out the pain and silently prayed that the redness and swelling were going down. Unconsciously her gaze flickers down to her stinging palm, but this time the pain is welcomed, something she really had to find a way to thank Kageyama for without being too obvious.

_"That sensation on my palm and the heft of the ball you feel on your hand,"_ she thought fondly, feeling a smile curling on her lips and doesn't even bother to correct it as she let her fingers curl into a fist. _"I'm so glad I can truly appreciate the feeling once more. I want it to keep feeling like this, over and over."_

Gingerly she gets into position as Yamaguchi prepares to serve, taking note of how ready Tanaka is to receive and the intense concentration that is rolling off Kageyama in waves. It's a flurry of movement as Tanaka receives, Kageyama following up by standing right beneath the ball's dropping point, belatedly she realizes that Tsukishima is saying something; probably another barbed, unnecessary remark, but takes little note of it as she speeds towards the front of the court, right in front of him.

"Yamaguchi, get over here!" the glasses wearing blond cries, obviously panicked by her sudden approach, but she doesn't pay him any heed, instead choosing to recall Kageyama's words from earlier.

_"Listen if you can spike it,"_  his words echo through her mind, and she finds herself finishing the sentence subconsciously as she pivots on her food, using it as leverage to dash towards the other side of the court.  _"Avoid it!"_

_"If I can't be as tall as other players,"_  that's right, she'll always be handicapped in that department, but she had her speed and it was definitely nothing to sneeze at, "then by even one centimeter, one millimeter, or even one second faster."

She jumped with everything she had, metaphorically granted herself wings as she took up the position that she knew wouldn't fail her this time. This was it, this was going to be the spike that would officially signify her growth emotionally from junior high volleyball club. She would put Yukigaoka behind her and give her all to Karasuno and make it to the nationals, somehow, someway.

_"I'll reach the summit,"_  she thought, unsure of why her eyes were still screwed shut, but reveled in the feeling for just a little longer.  _"Then, in that very moment, I'll be at the highest place."_

She opened her eyes and couldn't help but think it highly poetic and ironic how the light outside filtered through the window, giving everything an almost ethereal glow as the ball smacked down onto the court. That one focal moment filtering out Tsukishima who was almost directly in front of her, nearly reaching the ball and Sawamura who tried to receive it, but ended up sprawled on the floor instead..

_"That's the view from the summit."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updating this story so that its on par with its ff.net counterpart, expect the new updates to start rolling in soon. :)


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